Frederic Lord Leighton: Childhood

"The Painter's Honeymoon" by Frederic Lord Leighton

"Frederick Leighton was born at Scarborough in Yorkshire, on December 3rd, 1830. His father was a physician with an excellent practice at Bath. His mother was Augusta Susan Nash, the daughter of artist Mr. George A. Nash. She was herself an excellent draughtswoman. In music she greatly distinguished herself. Unhappily, delicacy of health very early affected her and necessitated frequent sojourns in health resorts, both in England and abroad.

Frederick's artistic instinct had been revealed at a very tender age. When only five years old, recovering from a serious illness, he used to amuse himself by drawing the familiar objects in the room and dogs and cats. To these added colour. Again, when just nine years old, little Frederick had another attack of illness, and this time drew two very excellent compositions - a 'Crucifixion' and a 'Holy Family' which were doubtless copies of two of his father's pictures. A third and still more ambitious drawing set his parents thinking somewhat seriously about the boy's future. It was a really capital version of an old story - 'A village school, with the scholars playing pranks behind the pedagogue's back!'

The year 1840 saw the family in Rome. Among other professors and masters whose services he secured for his children was Signor Francesco Meli, a teacher of drawing. From him Frederick received his first serious lessons in draughtsmanship. This early visit to Rome had opened Frederick's eyes. He had visited the galleries, the churches, the ruins of the Eternal City. The family also traveled to Naples, Sicily and northwards to Florence, Bologna, Venice, Milan and other art cities. In all of these towns, while Mrs. Leighton rested, Dr. Leighton took his children to see these sights. All of this fed the passion for art which burned in the boy's breast."

To be continued

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