Lot Essay
The sitter has not been identified, but if the inscription on the frame is correct she must have been painted by Leighton in January 1896. According to Leonée and Richard Ormond (Lord Leighton, 1975, p.144), the artist worked for the last time on Wednesday, 22nd, 'paint(ing) briefly from the model during the morning.' The following day he had an agonising attack of angina, and he died after much suffering on Saturday, 25th.
The picture seems to be in its original 'Leighton' frame, to which a French owner has added labels inscribed 'DERNIERE OEUVRE DE F.B. LEIGHTON'. This is curious in that so far as we know Leighton had no second name; and if there was any confusion with Edmund Blair Leighton, one would expect the first initial to be an 'E'. Infact, whatever the explanation it seems unlikely that anyone would have added the inscription if it was not essentially correct.
The picture seems to be in its original 'Leighton' frame, to which a French owner has added labels inscribed 'DERNIERE OEUVRE DE F.B. LEIGHTON'. This is curious in that so far as we know Leighton had no second name; and if there was any confusion with Edmund Blair Leighton, one would expect the first initial to be an 'E'. Infact, whatever the explanation it seems unlikely that anyone would have added the inscription if it was not essentially correct.