LONDON.- This first major exhibition of Frederic Leighton’s work, following the reopening of the museum in October 2022, will focus on the artist’s production of small en plein air landscape sketches, created between 1850 up until his death in 1896. Many of these delicate artworks will be returning to the artist’s house-museum for the first time over 120 years, placing them back in the context of where they were originally displayed.

Leighton’s landscape paintings are some of his most visually appealing works and unlike his meticulously conceived and executed exhibition pictures, these sketches display a much freer way of painting, and capture the colours, light and atmosphere of a particular moment. Generally, Leighton chose to avoid famous landmarks, instead seeking out a particular backstreet, hill, rock, or tree that caught his attention, often employing intriguing formats and viewpoints to complement his subjects. Leighton’s landscape sketches therefore show him at his most experimental and provide a fresh perspective on him as an artist.

Despite the beauty and significance of Leighton’s landscape sketches there is little public awareness of them. This exhibition will bring together c.40 of these works from private and public collections to explore the position they occupied in his career, and what they say about him as an artist. Leighton’s landscape sketches connect his art, his travels throughout Europe, Middle East and North Africa and his home, bringing together much of what makes Leighton such an interesting figure.

The exhibition will be co-curated by Dr. Pola Durajska. Dr Durajska completed a PhD thesis on Leighton’s landscape painting in 2021 and now works at auctioneers Bearnes, Hampton and Littlewood, Exeter.

Daniel Robbins, Senior Curator at Leighton House and Sambourne House, says: “We are hoping both exhibitions will uncover aspects of the museums’ collection that have remained partially unseen, from spectacular dresses to modest and delicate works of art. The women of the Sambourne family will take centre stage and Leighton’s obsession with travel will be explored through his lesser-known work as a masterful landscapist.”