Deep in the heart of Kensington, you’ll find the Leighton House Museum. From the outside, it looks relatively normal. It could very well be pretty much any other Kensington townhouse – albeit a rather nice one. But there’s actually a delightful, art-filled, museum tucked inside – where the artwork completely covers the walls!
Sadly, for a while, the doors were shuttered. Restoration works were underway, and curious visitors were kept at bay without being allowed to enter. But following £8 million worth of works, Leighton House Museum re-opened last year. And now the public is once again able to cast their eyes on the gorgeous antiquity of Leighton House.
Since its reopening, visitors can now also clap eyes upon a brand new wing, with previously unseen historic features to gaze at, such as the commissioned Oneness by Shahrzad Ghaffari, an 11-metre high, hand-painted mural.
The grand entrance hall has had some love and has been restored to its previous glory years. There you’ll also be treated to an entire suite of commissioned furniture, handmade by Syrian artists based in Amman, Jordan.
Inside Leighton House Museum
Each floor is crammed to the rafters with paintings, sculptures, and magnificently tiled rooms. The person we have to thank for this is the house’s former owner: artist and aristocrat Frederic, Lord Leighton. He decided that his home would make the best canvas of all. Frederic used part of the palace – the Winter Studio, to be precise – as a base to hole up and complete his work during the cold winter months. (a studio in a palace to WFH when it’s freezing? Why didn’t I think of that?) Anyway, here he is, looking splendidly beardy whilst musing over his work:
Like most of the famous Victorians, Freddy was a colourful fellow. Amongst his achievements were commanding a battalion in the British army composed entirely of artists. Leighton also holds the record for the shortest peerage in British history – having been made a baron on January 24, 1896, he promptly celebrated by dropping dead the next day. Well, at least his house was nice. Very nice indeed, particularly the famous Arab Hall at the heart of the museum.
Arab Hall was inspired by Leighton’s visit to Syria in 1873. Apparently, it went so well that he recreated the sights inside his own house, using antique tiles from Damascus. Because that’s just what people did in the days before cameras. Aside from being drop-dead gorgeous, the hall also features a working fountain.
You’ll find paintings by Leighton’s contemporaries (including Millais, Watts, and Sargent) adorning the walls, as well as work by Frederic himself. With all this Victorian bling lying around, it’s easy to see why Queen Victoria herself dropped by Frederic’s palace for a visit.
Events and exhibitions
Since being given a new life, the Leighton House Museum has also announced various events and exhibitions. These range from guided tours to limited displays of stunning artworks. Visitors won’t want to miss the Evelyn De Morgan: The Gold Drawings exhibition, which was recently extended to October. The exhibition covers “De Morgan’s unique practice of making gold drawings, showcasing 13 artworks loaned by the Trustees of the De Morgan Foundation and Victoria Dolorosa from the Leighton House collection.” It’s the first exhibition of its type since 1896! Talk about a trip into the past!
Even if you don’t head to the exhibitions, simply wandering around the house is a rather lovely way to spend an afternoon. If you fancy making a day of it, the Design Museum and Holland Park are both nearby.