Leighton House Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leighton House Museum |
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View of the house from Holland Park Road
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| Location | Holland Park London, W14 United Kingdom |
| Built | 1866–1895 |
| Architect | George Aitchison |
| Governing body | Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: Leighton House | |
| Designated | 30 August 1961 |
| Reference no. | 1191541 |
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The Leighton House Museum is a special art museum and historic house in the Holland Park area of west London. It was once the home of a famous painter named Frederic Leighton.
Leighton lived from 1830 to 1896. He asked architect George Aitchison to design a unique home and art studio for him. This house is famous for its beautiful tiles and decorations. Many of these items were bought by Leighton during his travels in the Middle East. The house was built between 1866 and 1895. It is now a protected building, known for its amazing Middle Eastern and artistic designs.
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Discovering Leighton House
Leighton House Museum first opened its doors to the public in 1929. In 1958, a special blue plaque was placed on the museum. This plaque honors Frederic Leighton's life and work.
The museum even won an award in 2012 for its cultural heritage. It is open most days, but closed on Tuesdays. You can also visit 18 Stafford Terrace, another Victorian artist's home nearby.
Designing a Dream Home
George Aitchison started designing the house in 1864. Frederic Leighton got the land in April 1866. Building began soon after. The first part of the house was ready by the end of that year.
The house is made of red bricks from Suffolk. It also has special stone decorations. The style is a simple, classic design. Aitchison continued to add to the house for over 30 years.
The most important room was Leighton's art studio. It was on the first floor and faced north. This gave him lots of natural light for his paintings. There was also a special staircase for his art models.
The Amazing Arab Hall
A big addition to the house was the "Arab Hall." This two-story room was built between 1877 and 1879. Leighton wanted a special place to display his collection of tiles. He had collected these beautiful tiles during his trips to the Middle East.
The design of the Arab Hall was inspired by an old palace in Italy. The hall features 17th-century tiles. It also has carved wooden screens from Damascus. You can see large 16th-century Turkish tiles too. One wall even has a wooden area with 14th-century tiles.
The Arab Hall also has Victorian art. The small columns have special tops designed by Joseph Boehm. The larger columns have gilded tops shaped like birds. These were made by Randolph Caldecot. The colorful mosaic art was designed by Walter Crane. The marble work was done by George P. White. The domed ceiling has beautiful painted designs. In the middle of the floor, there is a small fountain. The tiles leading to the Arab Hall were made by William De Morgan.
Later Additions and Changes
In 1889, a winter studio was added to the house. The last part Aitchison added was a picture gallery in 1895. This gallery had a special skylight for light.
After Leighton passed away in 1896, his art and belongings were sold. In 1927, a woman named Mrs. Henry Perrin offered to pay for more gallery space. This new part, called the Perrin Galleries, opened in 1929. It was built to remember her daughter, Muriel Ida Perrin, who was an artist.
Art Collection at the Museum
The Leighton House Museum has many artworks on display. You can see paintings by artists like John Everett Millais, Edward Burne-Jones, and George Frederic Watts. The museum also has 81 oil paintings by Frederic Leighton himself.
Some of Leighton's famous paintings in the collection include:
- The Death of Brunelleschi – 1852
- Hercules Wrestling with Death for the Body of Alcestes – 1869–1871
- The Vestal – around 1882–83
- And the sea gave up the dead which were in it – around 1891–92
The museum also has other works by Leighton:
- Five albums and sketchbooks with drawings and watercolors.
- 27 watercolors.
- 54 prints of his works.
- Personal items like documents and small sculptures. These sculptures include Athlete Strangling a Python (1874).
The museum also displays art by other artists:
- A carved sculpture called Madonna of the Candleabra by Antonio Rossellino.
- A portrait of Frederic Leighton by G. F. Watts.
- A model for the famous Eros statue by Sir Alfred Gilbert.
In 2016, Leighton's very famous painting Flaming June was shown at the museum. It was displayed in the very studio where he created it!
Works in the permanent collection
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A Boy Defending a Baby from an Eagle, by Leighton, 1850–52
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Oil Sketch for Cimabue's Celebrated Madonna, 1854, by Leighton
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Study for Desdemona, by Leighton, around 1888
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Clytie, by Leighton, his final work, 1895–96
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Recent Updates to the Museum
The Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council manages Leighton House. In 2009, they started a plan to encourage art and culture in the area. This plan aimed to build on the success of places like Leighton House.
A big renovation project costing £8 million finished in 2022. This project added a new wing to the museum. It includes more exhibition spaces and a café facing the garden. There is also a learning center and a storage area for the art. The museum now has easy access for everyone, with no steps. A new spiral staircase features a circular mural called "Oneness" by artist Shahrzad Ghaffari.
See also
- Holland Park Circle
- List of single-artist museums
