The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-26
FAMOUS ARTIST DEAD
SIR FREDERICK LEIGHTON, PRESI-
DENT OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY,
Seized with a Chill and Died While
Suffering Great Agony-Mnny Dis
tfnctions Conferred ON the Painter.

LONDON, Jan. 25.-Lord leighton, better
dent of the Royal Academy, is dead. Lord
Leighton suffered from a chill this morn
ing. and this was followed by serious
affection of the heart that caused great
agony. His condition soon became critical.
and during the afternoon he sank rapidly
and then came the end. He was sixty-hve
The deathbed scene was extremely touch
ing. At intervals strong doses of chloro-
form were given the dying man in order to
soothe the great pain he was enduring, and
as the end came he lifted up his right hand,
and, with difficulty, exclaimed: MY love TO
the Academy" Lord Leighton Tor a long time
has been suffering from an affection of the
heart. Monday he. caught cold and was
confined to his house. This morning the
grave symptoms appeared, and he suffered
great agony during the afternoon. But, in
spite of frequent paroxysms OF pains, ne
retained his senses fully almost to the last:
The funeral will be under the auspices OF
the Royal Academy.
Frederick Leighton was born at Scar
borough Dec. 8, 1880. and from childhood
evinced strong passion for painting. He
received instruction In his art in Rome
and Berlin, and afterward IN Florence.
Some Of the young students drawings
were submitted to the celebrated American
sculptor Hiram Powers, and the father
promised that his decision should depend
on the result of his interview with the
sculptor. The estimate formed by Powers
Of the drawings being highly favorable, the
youthful Leighton was permitted from that
day forward to devote the whole of his
time TO painting In the course of studies
he spent a year in Paris, but most of his
artistic education was had in Germany and
Italy. His first exhibition at the Royal
Academy in 1856 brought him into public
notice in England. Since that time he has
years has been considered to stand at the
head of British art. He was chosen presi-
dent of the Royal Academy in succession
to the late Sir Francis Grant in 1878, and
a few days later received the honor of
knighthood. In the same year he was nom
mated an officer of the Legion of Honor
Many other distinctions have been con-
ferred upon him, the last of which was his
elevation to the peerage by Queen Victoria
on last New Years day, when he took the
title of Lord Leighton.
Several years ago, James Hatton, in Har-
per's Magazine, said, in writing of Sir Fred
erick's work: There are two studios in
Sir Frederick Leighton's house. 1t is in his
studio proper, his great art workshop, that
the raster especially reveals himself The
first impression of the place Is exactly what
one might expect. Your. mind travels back
in imagination TO the studio of one of the
princely artists of italy, to be brought back,
however, TO these modern days by a touch
| OF nineteenth century color or some latter
| day device OF comfort You are surrounded
| by sufficient In the way of luxury to suggest
the home of Rubens, a Titan, a Rem
brandt, but L suspect there is an air of
elegant refinement and usefulness in this
studio of to-day which was absent in per-
maps tine 81 regal gal aspect of the grand
| tanned kings. An artist might live here as
| well as work, might play the aesthetic her
NIT and never leave the room except for
| exercise. so pleasant. so adapted is ii to
intellectual requirements and luxurious ease.
Books, pictures. easy. chairs. soft light and
with so much taste and care that 1t Is like
room which has been put together care
tessIy' Tor work merely when the occupant
when he has worked enough.
Ones eye naturally falls first upon that
end of the room where the current works
of the moment Of it be Picture Sunday
those waiting to go to the Academy are ar
ranged RANGED for the pleasure of the masters
| ical one, can see, they may be finished but
| so long as they remain here Sir Frederick
| Frederick is for the nonce at work in his
| smaller studio, while we await him in the
gTeater 81 one tbs Presently there enters an
| rifles OF which the master is commander.
| There had been a parade on the. previous
day. Some Important question of military
| has arisen Sir Frederick enters. His man.
| ner at once confirms all that his friends say
in regard to his cordiality. The president
| or the Academy is a courtier by nature,
but he carries his dignity with an easy
frankness and he is too many-sided, too
| sincere a student, too well-traveled. for
| any charge OF narrowness to hold against
| him. 1t is a great thing for art in these
| days that not only English but universal
| art is represented by a master who rivals
| the great ones of the past in the selec-
ton of his subjects; in his treatment of
them. and In his noble idealization of the
| profession which he adorns.
eff modern painters in England took
pupils. as their contemporaries of the CONT
classic rival of Italy, and Millais
would he the prophet of the En-
gsh o school which would count in
i Petite, Nicol, Orchardson, Fildes, Haynes.
Williams, Boughtor. Yeames, Long. Marks.
English idea of stories on canvas. some of
whom are especially impressed. with the
view that IL is for them to lay hold on the
incidents of our own time. the pictures
that lie around them. so that in the future
men may look back upon these days
through the medium of painted well as
Seeing him in his academical robes and
badge of office, in eveing dress, in his mill
academy, delivering a post-prandial grafton
| or address to the students. or on parade
in Hyde Park, you might come to regard
Sir Frederick Leighton as journalist and
disciplinarian. A courtier, you might think
| him the embodiment of form and ceremony;
! an orator, you might fancy he spent his
| life in thinking out striking SMILES and
rounding sentences; a soldier, you would
| credit him with "a soul in arms il not
eager for the fray and similarly in his
| own houes you find him the friendliest and
| heartiest of hosts. He comes upon his
| guests in the cheeriest way pleasant. OPEN
| handed, eager to make them at home. A
| little above medium height, he is gray
headed. and his short beard and mustache
| are frosted with sivery hue that adds
| dignity TO the mobile and handsome feat
ures His manner Is sympathe Ell %. o PEI
| he takes lively pleasure in his house. end
that his mind is large enough to take in
| the eclecticism of Greek art, the devotion
alism OF the medieval and the warmth OF
| Orientalism."
Mrs. Angelina j. Knox.
FRESNO, CAL, Jan. 25.-Mrs. Angelina J..
Knox, formerly a well-known Massa-
| chusetts AbolitioniSt died here last night