'Phoenicians Bartering with Ancient Britons'

Painting/Project
Related drawings
Further information

enlarge image

Painting details

Title: 'Phoenicians Bartering with Ancient Britons'
Date: 1894-95
Media: Spirit fresco on canvas
Dimensions: 549 x 366 cm
Location: The Royal Exchange, London
Picture credit: By courtesy of the Joint Grand Gresham Committee

Interpretation

The design shows one male Briton holding up the animal skins he's bartering with, and four female Britons inspecting and trying on the fabric brought by the Phoenicians. In the centre an elderly Phoenician raises his hands to reject the price requested for the animal skins. The Phoenicians were traders noted for their purple dye made from the murex or purpura snail and a great length of purple fabric sweeps across the lower part of the painting connecting the Phoenicians and the Britons. (The name 'Phoenicia' is Greek, probably meaning 'dealer in purple'.) The painting was also known as 'Phoenician merchants Bartering with Ancient Britons on the Coast of Cornwall', and the landscape of Cornwall and sea are seen in the background. It was painted by Leighton for the cost of materials alone, for the Royal Exchange, London and is in spirit fresco on canvas which was then plastered to the wall.

Drawings related to 'Phoenicians Bartering with Ancient Britons'

Provenance

enlarge painting

Commissioned for the Royal Exchange

Bibliography

Corkran, Alice, 'Frederic Leighton', Methuen and Co., London, 1904, p.113-14
Jones, Stephen et al., 'Frederic Leighton', Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1996, p.39
Ormond, LeonTe and Richard, 'Lord Leighton', Yale University Press, London, 1975, pp.124, 139, p.172 catalogue number 381
Rhys, Ernest, (prefatory essay by Stephens, F. G.) 'Sir Frederic Leighton, Bart., P. R. A.: An Illustrated Chronicle', George Bell and Sons, London, 1895, p.46, illustrated opposite p.46
Rhys, Ernest, 'Frederic Lo

Reproductions

Photograph by H. Dixon and Son, for Lord Leighton

No image on this website may be reproduced without the prior permission of the owner.