Frederic Leighton

Frederic Leighton was born on 3 December 1830 and built a career rendering historical, biblical, and classical subjects in meticulous academic style. During his lifetime his paintings commanded enormous sums and widespread popularity. In 1878 he became Sir Frederic Leighton, and on 24 January 1896, the day before his death, he was elevated to Baron Leighton — making his the shortest-lived hereditary peerage in history, extinguished within 24 hours. The early 20th century turned cold on his work, and for decades the critical establishment dismissed what Victorian audiences had adored. He died o…