Prince Charles visited Leighton House on Thursday 20th May to meet the project team and see the results of a £1.6 million refurbishment overseen by Purcell Miller Tritton. The house, which has recently reopened to the public was created by and home to the eminent Victorian painter Frederic Leighton.
“Our client’s desire was to bring the house back to Leighton’s architectural vision,” says Dante Vanoli, the architect leading the project. “Through new research and paint analysis, we have recreated the unique character of Leighton’s decorative scheme within his ‘private palace of art’. We have revealed previously closed off rooms and restored lost architectural and decorative features, such as fire surrounds, silk hangings and the Arab Hall’s spectacular gilded dome, to understand how this marvellous building appeared and functioned at the time of Leighton’s death in 1896.”
As a renowned Victorian artist, Lord Leighton acquired a fantastic collection of art, and the re-opening of the museum has seen the return of more than 20 paintings, which now hang in their original locations for the first time since his death. The collection features loans from some of the most prestigious galleries in the country, including the National Gallery, the Tate and the National Portrait Gallery among others.
Photo courtesy of Lloyd Dobbie Photography http://www.lloyddobbie.com