Leighton and Collecting Art

Why did Leighton collect art?

This essay looks at what and how Leighton collected art objects, including those from the Islamic world and Japan and India as well as his extensive collection of Western art. It also looks at what is special about his decision to create a permanent display of a large part of his collection by building the Arab Hall at Leighton House.

Collecting Art in the 19th century

Who was collecting what in the nineteenth century and why? And how and why did museums come into existence?

This period saw an explosion in private art collecting, but also institutional collections. This article looks at these questions.

Islamic Art

What is Islamic art and architecture? This article answers that question. As well as outlining its characteristics, origins, and stylistic developments it looks at the question of figurative representation and meaning in Islamic art. It also provides an overview of the Islamic faith.