Studies of Pumpkin Flowers

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Drawing details

Title: Studies of Pumpkin Flowers
Date: 1856
Media: Pencil and bodycolour on laid white paper
Dimensions: 30.3 x 22.1 cm
Location: Leighton House Museum
Picture credit: Leighton House Museum, The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Reference number: LHO/D/1014
Inscriptions: Inscribed, monographed and dated, upper right "Pumpkin. / Meran/56. / FL" in pencil, in the artist's hand.

Interpretation

Leighton's friend and the architect of his house, George Aitchison (architect, 1825-1910), recalled seeing Leighton at work on a study of a pumpkin flower: "One day I found him drawing the flower of the pumpkin, and he said flowers were quite as hard to draw as human heads, if you drew them conscientiously, but doing that rested with yourself, for there could be no critics. He said of drawing that the great thing was to thoroughly understand the structure, and that then by patience and labour, you could express the outline and the modelling." [Barrington, Mrs. Emilie Isabel (preface), 'Lord Leighton's House and What it Contains', 1900, Leighton House, London, p.144]

Description

Upper half of sheet: study of the flower of a pumpkin plant. White bodycolour has been used for highlights on the flower and in the background. This paint has oxidized and turned black or dark grey brown. Lower half of sheet: study of the flower of a pumpkin plant. 

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 (Fine Art Society reference number ?); purchased from the Fine Art Society by the Leighton Fund for ú3:3:0; presented to Leighton House Museum by 1899. 

Bibliography

• Anon., 'Catalogue of Drawings by the late Lord Leighton Preserved for the Nation', Leighton House Committee, 1897, catalogue number 19 first section
• Barrington, Mrs. Russell, 'The Life, Letters and Work of Frederic, Lord Leighton', George Allen, London, 1906, volume I, illustrated opposite p.206
• Barrington, Mrs. Emilie Isabel (preface), '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 Cat 

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 97 (exhibited in the Ante Room)