Frederic Leighton: Final Year

"Flaming June" by Frederic Leighton

"In 1896 Frederic Leighton quite certainly had premonitions of his end. His health, which had been for long less and less satisfactory, gave way to frequent attacks of illness, increasing in anguish and distress as they recurred.  Nevertheless all through the winter of 1894-95, and the spring, too, he worked away zealously, and the last year of his life showed a larger tale of labour than any of its predecessors.

Probably this immense amount of toil had a fatal effect upon his weakened, suffering body. Anyhow, when the spring exhibition came round it found Leighton very ill and quite unable to take his accustomed part in the duties of his Presidential office. Indeed, he was ordered by his doctor, not only to desist from work, but to go to Algiers at once.

''Show Sunday' at the end of March was to be his last day in England, and I went,' wrote John Millais, 'with my father to his house where we found him along with a crowd of picture-lovers and the usual array of so-called 'smart' people. With his characteristic urbanity he was showing them his last beautiful works, 'Flaming June' and 'Lachrymae,' but what a change suffering had wrought in him. He seemed nervous, and looked for the first time really ill, but he was interested to all appearance in the things around him, and even more attentive than usual to his guests. To my father he was cordiality itself, and on our leave-taking, he said to him in a half-whisper, 'Come and see me quietly tomorrow, old boy. I go the day after.'

Leighton went off to Algiers and Millais acted as his deputy at the Academy Banquet. Before leaving he had placed his resignation of the Presidential chair in the hands of his fellow Academicians, but they declined to accept it. Everyone hoped he would return refreshed and fit for many years to come.

To be continued

(Excerpts from "Lord Leighton of Stretton, P.R.A." by Edgcumbe Staley