June 23rd 2008
The threat of losing the last painting by one of Britain’s greatest 19th Century artists has been lifted, it was announced on Saturday at the Annual Summer Garden Party at Leighton House Museum.
Thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant of £337,500 Lord Frederic Leighton’s work Clytie will now stay, not only in Britain, but also in the house where it was created.
In attendance at the weekend announcement, Wesley Kerr, Chair of the Heritage Lottery Fund Committee for London said "Leighton House Museum is an architectural and design gem, with fascinating collections including notable High Victorian and Islamic-influenced art. It is the perfect home for Frederic Leighton's last major painting, left in the studio there at his death. The Heritage Lottery Fund is delighted that as a result of our award, ‘Clytie' - a powerful, expressive work, will stay in the UK and become the centrepiece of a refurbished museum reaching out to new audiences of all ages."
The painting, currently owned by a German art collector and on loan to the museum where it is displayed in the studio in which it was created, was due to return to the continent in October this year. Clytie has already been sold on five occasions since 1908, however it will now be purchased by the Leighton House Museum in Holland Park, Kensington, where it will remain on permanent display as the centrepiece of the museum’s collection.
The painting depicts the nymph Clytie with arms outstretched bidding farewell to the sun-god Apollo who is conveyed by bright blazing sunlight. It is seen as one of the last major works of High Victorian art and was Leighton’s final major work, remaining unfinished at the time of his death. Leighton himself, the only artist ever to be ennobled, is described by the Leighton House Museum as “one of the giants of late 19th century British Art.” He was president of the Royal Academy from 1878 until 1896.
The acquisition of the artwork will be accompanied by an education project that includes an artist-in-residence at the museum for a four-month period during which time local schools and community groups will be targeted and workshops organised on the techniques and styles employed by Leighton and some of his contemporaries. There will also be four story-telling sessions aimed at young people and the inclusion of information on Clytie including preliminary sketches on the museum’s website. In due course Clytie will visit museums around the country including Blackburn, Hull, Kilmarnock and Scarborough.
Cllr Nicholas Paget-Brown, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Environmental Management and Leisure, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, said “I am absolutely delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund award has made it possible to purchase this enormously significant work for the House. The acquisition of Clytie will fill a significant gap in the Museum’s collection and contribute to our aims and ambitions in preserving Leighton’s legacy and bringing it to the wider public.”
A successful purchase of Clytie for Leighton House Museum will secure the painting in its most appropriate setting with a learning programme to ensure that appreciation of Leighton’s work is spread among a far larger audience of all age groups.
Notes to Editors:
Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported more than 26,000 projects, allocating over £4billion across the UK. Website: www.hlf.org.uk.
Over £840 million has been granted in London alone, with £88.363 million awarded to 84 projects in RB Kensington and Chelsea.
HLF has made 309 awards for the acquisition of works of art by museums and galleries, with a total value of £115 million across the UK.
Previous awards to the Leighton House Museum include:
- An award of £45,299 (40%) in June 1996 to complete the historic restoration of Leighton House through the recreation of its garden
- An award of £155,000 (62%) in August 2003 towards the acquisition of a portrait of Lord Frederic Leighton by George Frederick Watts
- An award of £215,000 (87%) in March 2005 towards e-cataloguing and conserving a collection of 635 of Frederic Lord Leighton’s drawings and sketches
Clytie is a 156cm by 137cm oil on canvas painting by Frederic Lord Leighton.
Leighton House Museum is sited within Frederic Lord Leighton’s former studio house in Holland Park. The museum was established around 1900 and contains 1138 works and 99 items of decorative art together with a collection of some 1,000 Islamic tiles.