“Idyll”
Today I am sharing something peaceful and tranquil to try and help brighten spirits…
This lovely oil on canvas painting is by the English academic and aesthetic artist, Frederic Leighton. It is titled “Idyll” and dates to 1880 to 1881 later on in his career. His depiction of beautiful subjects in classical dress against a bucolic landscape show why Leighton was considered a master in his time.
This piece, painted in the Neoclassical style, recalls the idyllic memories of the splendors of ancient Greece. Two young women are lounging below the branches of a tree watching a young man play the flute, all against an expansive horizontal vista.
The name and subject of the painting were inspired by the Idylls of Theocritus, a collection of 30 poems written in the 3rd century B.C. by the Greek bucolic poet, Theocritus. The bucolic poets often set their stories in the countryside with herdsmen playing the prominent male roles.
In the painting, the clothes that Leighton depicted on the male figure to the left has led scholars to suggest that he was a shepherd. The ladies on the right are interpreted as nymphs. The lady on the far right was modeled after Lillie Langtry, a famous nineteenth century actress renown for her beauty.
“Idyll” is currently in the private collection of art collectors, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Keswick.
For more on Frederic Leighton, please visit his short biography here.
You can find more artists to learn about here.
