Study for 'The Reconciliation of the Montagues and Capulets....': Male Head

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Drawing details

Title: Study for 'The Reconciliation of the Montagues and Capulets....': Male Head
Date: 1854
Media: Pencil on tracing paper
Dimensions: 15.5 x 12.5 cm
Location: Leighton House Museum
Picture credit: Leighton House Museum, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Reference number: LHO/D/0951
Inscriptions: Inscribed lower right "Vincenzo / Roma. / 18 FL 54." in pencil, in the artist's hand. Stamped lower left "LLC" encircled, embossed.

Interpretation

Leighton's inscription "Vincenzo" refers to the name of the model who posed for the drawing. Mrs. Russell Barrington writes that Leighton described this model as "The prettiest and the wickedest boy in Rome." A modern interpretation of this phrase might lead one to think that Leighton had a relationship with the boy, however, the phrase would not have been interpreted in that way by a Victorian audience. [Barrington, Mrs. Emilie Isabel (preface), 'Lord Leighton's House and What it Contains', 1900, Leighton House, London, p.143]

Description

 

Provenance

Bequeathed by the artist to his sisters, Mrs. Augusta Matthews (n+e Augusta Neunburg Leighton, 1835-1919) and Mrs. Alexandra Orr (n+e Alexandra Leighton, 1828-1903); purchased by the Fine Art Society in 1896; collection of Leighton House Museum. 

Bibliography

• Barrington, Mrs. Emilie Isabel, 'Catalogue: Lord Leighton's House and What it Contains', 1900, reprinted as part of 'A Collection of Essays on Lord Leighton and his Works with Illustrated Catalogue of the Contents of Leighton House', privately published, London, 1900-01, p.143, p.168 catalogue number 43
• Corkran, Alice, 'Frederic Leighton', Methuen and Co., London, 1904, illustrated opposite p.24 

Exhibition history

• 09 April 1900 to at least 1936, 'The Leighton House Collection' (intended to be a permanent display), Leighton House Museum, London, catalogue number 43 (exhibited in the Silk Room)
• c.1990, 'Display of the Leighton House Drawings Collection in the Lower Perrin Gallery', Leighton House Museum, London, catalogue number 2