‘The Daphnephoria’ 1874 – 6
Lord Leighton (1830 – 1896)
Oil on canvas, 231 x 525cm
Accession Number LL3632
The Daphnephoria was an ancient festival held every ninth year in honour
of Apollo. In particular it commemorated a Theban victory over the Aeolians.
This is the grandest of a group of huge processional pictures on which
Leighton's reputation
largely rests. His classical vision of beauty and form, his skill in arranging
his figures and his imagination in conceiving the rich and luxuriant setting
make this one of the few British paintings which can be compared to with
the great historical and mythological works of 19th century France and
Germany.
‘The Daphnephoria’ was painted for the dining room of his close friend and patron, the banker James Stewart Hodgson. He was forced to sell it following the first collapse of Barings Bank in 1890.
An extended study of 'The Daphnephoria' is available online as part of our 'Artwork of the month' series.
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