File:The life, letters and work of Frederic Leighton (1906) (14781541335).jpg

Identifier: lifelettersworko01barr (find matches)
Title: The life, letters and work of Frederic Leighton
Year: 1906 (1900s)
Authors: Barrington, Russell, Mrs., d. 1933
Subjects: Leighton of Stretton, Frederic Leighton, Baron, 1830-1896
Publisher: New York : Macmillan
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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Text Appearing Before Image:
draw the complete detail of every object setbefore him. But, for the very reason that the LemonTree was done with a further purpose than the merejoy the beauty of Nature excited in Leightons aestheticsenses, there is not, I think, quite the same convincingcharm in this drawing as in some other more fragmentarystudies. In considering this early work by Leighton, it should beborne in mind, that in those years when it was executed,photography had not yet given the standard of a finish andperfection in actual delineation which outrivals every recordmade by human hand and eye. Photography has, in theselater years, given the proportion and detail in beautiful archi-tecture, the form of trees, plants, and flowers, their exquisitedelicacy of structure, their grace and intricacy of line : all this to in his diary, Pebbles. I think this is the most beautiful drawing of thekind I have ever seen. ^ See List of Illustrations. STUDY OF LEMON TREE, Capri, 1859By permission of Mr. S. Pepys Cockerell
Text Appearing After Image:
STUDY OF DECIDUOUS TREE Leighton House Collection «^ f>- ■■■•/ :-- 4- J /^ DRAWINGS OF PLANTS AND FLOWERS 203 has been secured and pictured for us by the camera ; and, upto a certain point, very precious and truthful are these memor-anda of the aspects of nature and art. Many of us rememberthe days when enthusiastic disciples of the wonderful newart of photography prophesied that no other would soon beneeded, and that the draughtsmans craft would before longcease to exist. And further, they maintained it only requiredthe discovery of a means to photograph colour for the paintersart also to be demolished. Artists, however, knew better.What was valuable in the records of photography, and whatwas of most intrinsic worth in the records created throughmeans of the human hand and eye, were absolutely incom-parable quantities. The treatment of nature in a photographicpicture, however admirable and complete, must always be lack-ing in the evidence of any preference, reverence, or

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