Flaming June by Lord Frederic Leighton
Leighton drew inspiration for the composition from a tired model's posture, enhancing her sinuous pose with sheer orange draperies. With her sun-flushed skin, she became a personification of summer heat, embodying Leighton's focus on harmonious color and form rather than narrative. This painting, along with "Lachrymae," was one of the last major works he exhibited at the Royal Academy in London in 1895. Although initially praised, "Flaming June" fell out of favor until the Museo de Arte de Ponce acquired it in the 1960s, reviving its fame. The current frame is a reconstruction of the original, designed by Leighton.
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Flaming June" vanished from public view in the 1930s and was rediscovered in the 1960s. During a difficult period for selling Victorian-era paintings, it failed to sell at auction for its low reserve price of $140 (equivalent to $1,126 today). Shortly after, the Museo de Arte de Ponce in Puerto Rico acquired it. It is now on loan to the Royal Academy of Arts in London, where it will be displayed until January 12, 2025.
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