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Lot Essay
This fine drawing is a portrait of Dorothy Dene, who so often modelled for Leighton's later work. Born Ada Alice Pullan on 11 April 1859, Dorothy was discovered by Leighton's friend and future biographer Mrs Russell Barrington, standing on the doorstep of a nearby studio in 1879.
By the mid-1880s Dorothy was well established as Leighton's muse, her remarkable ability to strike a dramatic pose capturing his imagination and finding expression in a long series of paintings, including such masterpieces as The Last Watch of Hero (1887, Manchester), Captive Andromache (1888, Manchester), The Bath of Psyche (1890, Tate Britain), The Garden of the Hesperides (1892, Port Sunlight) and Clytie (Leighton House Museum), which remained unfinished at Leighton's death. She has also traditionally been identified as the model for Flaming June (1895, Ponce Art Museum, Puerto Rico). Dorothy herself had ambitions to become an actress, training professionally and taking part in a number of productions both in London and the provinces, using the stage name Dorothy Dene. However, despite Leighton's strenuous efforts to encourage and promote her, she met with little success. Only by painting her obsessively could he give her the fame she craved. The present drawing relates to Faith (Haworth Art Gallery, Accrington), although the finished work also suggests the features and colouring of another model, Mary Lloyd, and it has been suggested that it may be an amalgamation of the two girls. Another study for Faith (the torso and arms) is in the British Museum.
We are grateful to Daniel Robbins for his assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.
By the mid-1880s Dorothy was well established as Leighton's muse, her remarkable ability to strike a dramatic pose capturing his imagination and finding expression in a long series of paintings, including such masterpieces as The Last Watch of Hero (1887, Manchester), Captive Andromache (1888, Manchester), The Bath of Psyche (1890, Tate Britain), The Garden of the Hesperides (1892, Port Sunlight) and Clytie (Leighton House Museum), which remained unfinished at Leighton's death. She has also traditionally been identified as the model for Flaming June (1895, Ponce Art Museum, Puerto Rico). Dorothy herself had ambitions to become an actress, training professionally and taking part in a number of productions both in London and the provinces, using the stage name Dorothy Dene. However, despite Leighton's strenuous efforts to encourage and promote her, she met with little success. Only by painting her obsessively could he give her the fame she craved. The present drawing relates to Faith (Haworth Art Gallery, Accrington), although the finished work also suggests the features and colouring of another model, Mary Lloyd, and it has been suggested that it may be an amalgamation of the two girls. Another study for Faith (the torso and arms) is in the British Museum.
We are grateful to Daniel Robbins for his assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.