A bold renovation effort at Leighton House Museum in West London, once the abode of famed Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton, has enhanced the already renowned interior of this unique studio home. John Goodall explores the history behind its creation; with images by Paul Highnam for Country Life.
Leighton House Museum, the former residence of the notable Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton, welcomed visitors again in October 2022 after a praiseworthy refurbishment project. This redevelopment took three years and concentrated on both the building’s function and its historic preservation. Now, guests can truly grasp the home’s transformation that occurred over Leighton’s lifetime.
The tale of Leighton House began in Italy, back in 1843, when artist and sculptor George Frederick Watts was introduced to Lord and Lady Holland, the British Minister Plenipotentiary to Tuscany. Lord Holland was set to inherit Holland House and its grounds near London. After inviting Watts to stay with them in Florence, he became a dear friend and lived with them for almost four years.
Frederic Leighton, too, was in Europe at the time. Born in Scarborough in 1830, his family relocated to London and frequently traveled across Europe. Leighton developed a passion for drawing early on, studying at various art academies in Germany and Italy, culminating in his education at Frankfurt’s Städelsches Kunstinstitut from age 16. His broad education was reflected in his multilingual abilities and love for music.
Meanwhile, Watts had returned to England by autumn 1850, making new acquaintances with the Prinsep family. Henry Thoby Prinsep had ended his service in India in 1843, and with his wife, Sara, became Watts’ new friend. The Prinseps were shown Little Holland House by Watts, and they immediately liked it. They leased it for 21 years on Christmas Day 1850 and Watts moved in, staying for the next three decades. Sara Prinsep turned the house into a bustling artistic and literary hub, drawing personalities such as Tennyson, Browning, Ruskin, and Burne-Jones and paralleling the social scene near the Tennysons’ home on the Isle of Wight.
Leighton joined their circle later, meeting Watts after displaying his work at the Royal Academy in 1855. By 1859, Leighton had established his presence in London, and their friendship flourished. Unlike Watts, who had chosen to avoid the Royal Academy’s annual showings, Leighton leaned on the institution to help build his career, eventually becoming an associate in 1864.
In that same year, Leighton bought land near Little Holland House to construct a studio home. Concerned about costs, he assured his father that he would manage the building’s expenses prudently. Architect George Aitchison, an old friend from Rome, was chosen for the project. Leighton planned the house to be expandable and focused on essential features, even if it meant erecting a larger structure from the outset.
The house made a statement with its red brick front, unlike its stucco neighbors, reminiscent of a Renaissance palace. The entrance led to an impressive stair hall, with the stairway inviting guests up to the first-floor studio, which doubled as a showcase and entertainment area. The domestic rooms on the ground floor contrasted in scale to the studio above; modest spaces included a drawing room (Fig 4) adorned with landscapes, and a dining room. Leighton’s simple bedroom on the first floor betrayed a man who lived a single life, with its austere brass bed hinting at the contrast between his public achievements and private existence. He moved in during the fall of 1866.
In January 1867, Watts was named an associate of the Royal Academy. His membership was quickly upgraded to full status.
In December, Leighton embraced his role at the Royal Academy, particularly engaging with the RA schools and the Summer Exhibition at its new Burlington House location in 1869. His new status inspired him to expand his home with the help of Aitchison, enlarging the studio, adding a canvas store, and designing a new entrance for models.
The social fabric of Leighton’s Kensington community faced uncertainty when the Prinseps’ lease on Little Holland House neared its end in 1871. With the Prinseps ailing and Lady Holland considering selling the property, Watts hurriedly constructed The Briary on the Isle of Wight to house them. However, they managed to extend their lease annually until the house was demolished in 1875. By then, Watts and other artists like Marcus Stone, William Burges, and the Thornycrofts had established their homes close by. This enclave of artists and their studios facilitated a tradition called ‘Show Sunday,’ where works were previewed and sold before exhibiting at the RA. Today, most of these studio houses remain privately owned, with only a few lost over time.
Leighton continued to enhance his residence, employing Aitchison in 1877 to remodel the entrance hall, leading to the creation of the stunning Arab Hall, embellished with collected artifacts and the artistry of William De Morgan and Walter Crane. On November 13, 1878, amidst this expansion, Leighton was chosen as the RA president and knighted, although his public addresses were noted for being rather monotonous.
Leighton’s home also served as an entertainment venue and gallery, and to counteract the effects of poor winter light, he built a glass extension for his studio in 1889-90. The Silk Room, added in 1894-95, displayed contemporary art. In 1896, he became the first artist elevated to the peerage as Baron Leighton of Stretton.
Upon Leighton’s passing in 1896, his home’s fate was debated. Though some believed he wanted it to house successive RA presidents, no formal instructions were left. Ultimately, his sisters and biographer Emilie Barrington transformed it into a museum in 1900, seeding its collection with Leighton’s works. In 1927, the local borough assumed management of the freehold.
Leighton’s legacy waned during the 20th century, with original interiors obscured and the building repurposed. From the 1980s, restoration efforts began, furthered from 2008-10 and in recent projects led by curator Daniel Robbins and BDP architects. The latest renovations include enhancing visitor facilities, reinstating the 1870s entrance, restoring the winter studio, and adding the new mural-adorned stair “Oneness” by Shahrzad Ghaffari. This work contributed to Leighton House’s shortlisting for the Art Fund Museum of the Year Award for 2023.
For more information, visit www.rbkc.gov.uk/museums.
