Leighton and Landscape: Impressions from Nature

Leighton and Landscape: Impressions from Nature

16 November 2024 - 27 April 2025 at Leighton House

Visit after-hours and enjoy a paid-bar on Friday 25 April, open until 8:30pm. 

This first major exhibition of Frederic Leighton’s small landscape oil sketches, painted en plein air as he travelled, reveals the celebrated Victorian artist in a new light. Discover a spontaneous, experimental artist who took the road less well trodden by his contemporaries, documenting the places he encountered. Created between 1856 up until his death in 1896, many of these delicate artworks will be returning to Leighton's house for the first time over 120 years, including new acquisition Bay of Cadiz, Moonlight (1866). Bay of Cadiz, Moonlight  was purchased with support from the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and The Friends of Leighton House. 

This enlightening exhibition reveals a whole new side to the eminent painter.

Read  Evening Standard   ★★★★ review

Despite the beauty and significance of Leighton’s landscape sketches, there is little public awareness of them. This exhibition will bring together over 60 of these works from private and public collections to explore the position they occupied in his career, and what they say about him as an artist. Leighton’s landscape sketches connect his art, his travels throughout Europe, South West Asia and North Africa, and his studio-home, bringing together much of what makes Leighton such a fascinating figure.

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Plan your visit

Leighton and Landscape: Impressions from Nature

16 November 2024 - 27 April 2025

Join our Leighton and Landscape After Hours on Friday 25 April until 8:30pm, with a paid bar and access to the house and exhibition.

At Leighton House

• Treat yourself to a Capri inspired menu in the De Morgan Cafe.
• Shop the exclusive exhibition range at the museum's shop.
• Find out more about Leighton's life-long passion for travel with our latest video.
• Please fill in our short feedback survey after your visit:

Exhibition survey

The exhibition span across three spaces at Leighton House:

The Verey Exhibition Gallery (upstairs)

The Tavolozza Drawings Gallery (basement)

The historic house: The Drawing Room and Leighton's studio

Please note:

• Both the Verey Exhibition Gallery and the historic house are included with Leighton House admission ticket.
• The Tavolozza Drawings Gallery is free to visit.
• There is a  large perfume diffuser on display in the basement area near the Tavalozza Drawings Gallery. For full ingredients information, please visit our Accessibility page.
• Sambourne House does not display any artworks of the exhibition.

Book your tickets

Acknowledgements

The exhibition and its accompanying publication have been generously supported by The Albert Dawson Educational Trust, The Foyle Foundation, The Cosman Keller Art & Music Trust, The Finnis Scott Foundation, the museum's Exhibition Circle and The Friends of Leighton House.

Carthusia – The Scents of Capri – proudly sponsors Leighton and Landscape: Capri. Carthusia’s Room Diffuser Mediterraneo creates the perfect olfactory backdrop for Leighton’s vibrant depiction of the iconic island.

Frederic Leighton's Bay of Cadiz, Moonlight  was purchased with support from the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and The Friends of Leighton House.  The museum also wishes to thank Christie's for their assistance in this acquisition. Haystacks (Study of Brighton Downs) by George Frederic Watts was purchased with support from the Arts Council England/V&A Purchase Grant Fund, Art Fund and The Friends of Leighton House. 

This exhibition has been made possible as a result of the Government Indemnity Scheme. Leighton House would like to thank HM Government for providing Government Indemnity and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Arts Council England for arranging the indemnity.

Leighton House would like to thank all lenders to the exhibition for their generosity and support.

The evaluation of Leighton and Landscape has been supported by a Measuring Up grant from Museum Development London and Arts Council England.