My Lady’s Garden

Edmund Blair Leighton prints bring knights, ladies, courtly romance and Regency elegance into your home. Leighton was an English painter of historical genre scenes whose highly finished pictures of chivalry and love made him one of the most popular artists of his day. Our collection of fine art prints covers his medieval scenes, Regency courtships and garden pictures.

About Edmund Blair Leighton

Edmund Blair Leighton was born in London on 21 September 1852, the son of the painter Charles Blair Leighton. He was educated at University College School and left at fifteen to work for a tea merchant. Determined to study art, he took evening classes in South Kensington and at the Heatherley School of Fine Art, and at 21 entered the Royal Academy Schools.

His early commissions were black-and-white illustrations for Cassell's Magazine, but he soon gave them up to paint in oil. His first painting shown at the Royal Academy, A Flaw in the Title (1874), sold for £200, and he went on to exhibit there every year until 1920, though he never became an Academician.

In 1885 he married Katherine Nash; their son Eric John Blair Leighton also became a painter. He left no diaries, and little is known of his private life. He died in London on 1 September 1922.

Style and Subjects

Leighton was a fastidious craftsman. His paintings are highly finished, decorative and romantic, showing knights departing for battle, ladies embroidering banners, weddings, elopements and quiet garden courtships, in rich costume and careful detail.

His art is associated with the Pre-Raphaelites in its subjects, but it is less stylised and more naturalistic, with warm light and clear, polished colour.

Famous Works

• A Flaw in the Title (1878), Royal Holloway, University of London. A romantic scene, version of his first Royal Academy subject.
• Lady Godiva (1892), Leeds Art Gallery. The legendary lady preparing for her famous ride.
• The Elopement (1893). A young couple stealing away together.
• In Time of Peril (1897), Auckland Art Gallery. A tense moment in a medieval castle.
• Off (1899), Manchester Art Gallery. A Regency couple parting on a country road.
• God Speed (1900). A lady tying her favour to a knight's arm as he rides to war, his best-known painting.
• The Accolade (1901). A queen knighting a kneeling warrior.
• Stitching the Standard (1911). A lady embroidering a banner in a castle window.

Decorating with Leighton Prints

Leighton's romantic scenes suit a bedroom, reading room or library, where their rich colours and medieval charm create a story-book mood. God Speed and The Accolade make striking focal points above a fireplace or bed.

His garden courtships, like My Lady's Garden, suit a sunroom or sitting room, and his wedding scenes make lovely anniversary gifts.

FAQ

Who was Edmund Blair Leighton?

Edmund Blair Leighton (1852–1922) was an English painter of historical genre scenes, especially medieval and Regency subjects of romance and chivalry.

Was Edmund Blair Leighton a Pre-Raphaelite?

His subjects are associated with the Pre-Raphaelite movement, but his style is less stylised and more naturalistic.

What is Edmund Blair Leighton's most famous painting?

God Speed (1900) and The Accolade (1901) are his best-known works, both scenes of medieval chivalry.

Where can I see his paintings?

Manchester Art Gallery, Leeds Art Gallery, Auckland Art Gallery and Royal Holloway, University of London, hold his work; many paintings are in private collections.

Related Artists

• John William Waterhouse: painter of medieval legend in the Pre-Raphaelite spirit
• Edward Burne-Jones: Pre-Raphaelite painter of knights and legends
• Frank Dicksee: Victorian painter of romantic chivalry