Monday, April 29, 2024

The most stunning room in London: inside the Leighton House restoration

leighton house

Leighton produced all the works of his mature career in this room, including the iconic Flaming June which is now at the Museo de Arte Ponce, Puerto Rico. Walking through the new wing of Leighton House (which is free to visit, independent of the ticketed historic house) a series of display cases and exhibits showcase the remarkable history of artists of the Victorian era. Located near the Holland Park, Leighton House is a former Victorian residence that belonged to the painter Frederic Leighton, the 1st Lord Leighton. This red brick building was built between 1866 and 1895 to be a combination residence and art studio. The mansion is famous for its oriental and aesthetic elements in the interior and for incorporating tiles and other elements bought in the East in the decoration. The house was expanded and new pieces of decoration were acquired over the 30 years that Lord Leighton lived in it.

Silk Room

There is a passenger lift at Leighton House which provides access to all floors of the museum, with platform lifts located on the ground floor and basement to provide additional step free access. Each of these lifts will accommodate standard wheelchairs and mobility aids. Buggies and push chairs can be used on all floors of the new wing and in the Learning Centre on the lower ground floor. Unfortunately, buggies and pushchairs can’t be taken into the historic house. Limited metered parking is available in nearby streets from Monday to Friday 8.30am to 6.30pm, Saturday 8.30am to 1.30pm. There is additional parking in the Holland Park Car Park off Abbotsbury Road (pay and display), which is 10 minutes’ walk from either museum.

Free to visit areas of Leighton House

Approximately 1.2 km, 15 minute walk through Holland Park to either Leighton House or Sambourne House. Approximately  800 metres, 10 minute walk to Leighton House. At Leighton House, there is free admission  to the shop, the De Morgan Café,  the garden and The Tavolozza Drawings Gallery.

The Garden

leighton house

Just before his death in 1896, Leighton was ennobled, becoming Baron Leighton of Stretton. He is the only British artist to have been awarded this honour and is buried in St. Paul’s Cathedral. There are no lifts located at Sambourne House and unfortunately the house not wheelchair accessible. Weather permitting, the garden will be open for visitors to enjoy.

Public facts and zoning for 1627 Leighton Ave

The 17th-century tiles are complemented by carved wooden lattice windows from the same period and are from Damascus, Syria. The west wall has a wooden alcove with inlaid 14th-century tiles. Explore this pair of unique Victorian artists houses for an insightful exploration of the lives and careers of Frederic Leighton and Linley Sambourne.

Guide To Leighton House, A London Hidden Gem

With times a little tighter for everyone, we’ve rounded up everything that’s free to see and experience at the museum. Please note that tours will take place when the general public are also in the building. Leighton House is an attraction for anyone looking for something to get off the beaten track in London.

Free exhibitions: The Tavolozza Drawings Gallery

The De Morgan Café is located on the ground floor, with direct access to the garden for light refreshments. Entry to Sambourne House is via the reception room on the lower ground floor which is reached by 7 steps and is not wheelchair accessible. Please note that both houses are located within 8-minute walking distance apart.

Tickets need to be purchased at the box office upon entering the house and there is no online sale. You can see the map with the rooms in the house in this link. Like other artists, he struggled to finish his paintings in the winter, with the poor natural light of a gloomy winter. The museum is the former home and studio of famed Victorian artist, Frederic Leighton. The house is a time capsule of the artist’s life and work, a place where you can step back in time to the Victorian era.

leighton house

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On his jaunts, he gobbled up tiles, antiques, and other artifacts. Leighton was born on December 3, 1830 in Scarborough England. Early on, he displayed an early talent for art and went on to receive formal training in Florence, Rome, and Frankfurt.

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Glazed on two sides and with a glass roof, the winter studio was supported by pairs of substantial cast iron columns. The house reflects the Victorian era’s infatuation with Oriental style. It’s crammed full of Arab tiles, gold friezes, mosaic floors, antique oriental rugs, and paintings by Leighton and other artists. Please note that access to the Learning Centre is only provided on select events and is not part of the museum’s open access spaces. Explore what’s on to see what upcoming events are due to take place in the Learning Centre or contact us at [email protected] to enquire.

The upper floor of the new wing is still used as one of the museum’s exhibition spaces. The main room was first floor studio, facing north, originally 14 meters by 8 meters, with a large central window to provide plenty of light for the painting. There stood several paintings in different stages of completion, the walls hung with examples of Leighton's work. Many of the most important figures of the Victorian era passed through this room, including Queen Victoria herself, who visited Leighton in 1859. There was also a gallery at the east end and a separate staircase for the models to use.

You can use your smartphone to scan room labels to bring up information about the art and objects on display. And there is a short film you can watch when you first arrive and information pamphlets in each room. In Leighton’s day, every spring a concert was held in the studio for his friends.

Due to this historic nature of the museum, there is no access for buggies and pushchairs. The Leighton House Museum is an art museum and historic house in the Holland Park area of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in west London. Decorating the walls of the museum’s new helical staircase which stretches across three floors, this soaring 11-metre high mural explores universal themes of love, knowledge and cultural fusion. Also on display in the café space, are two conserved frescoes by Leighton’s Holland Park Circle neighbour and lifelong friend, artist George Frederic Watts.

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