A hundred years ago Victorian artist Lord Leighton ran the annual exhibition at the Royal Academy, a responsibility that kept him busy in the winter and spring. But the rest of the year he was a compulsive world traveller, going to Italy, Greece and all over the Middle East in search of things to paint. The results can be seen in the extraordinary fusion of styles in his house, now a museum and art gallery of his work.
Many of the rooms are like a typical wealthy Victorian house, but to one side of the building there is a magnificent Arab Hall, running to the whole height of the house, and decorated with tiles from all over the Middle East and Turkey – some were already 200 years old when bought by Lord Leighton. They variously contain pictures, calligraphy and brilliant colours. The tiling escapes the hall itself and begins to creep into the conventionally Victorian stairs. The impression is of two quite different buildings fusing together.
Karimah Bint Daoud at work
Over the past few months local Islamic artist Karimah Bint Daoud has been in residence at the museum each Thursday, taking inspiration from the architecture to create vibrant textiles, especially caftans and paintings. A revert to Islam, she says “I have experienced Islamic and non-Islamic cultures. It is my intention to encourage the community to appreciate and understand the artwork of their own culture and of other cultures.”
Although the residency ends in November 2005, you can see Karimah’s work displayed at Leighton House in 2006 as part of the Festival of Muslim Cultures.
12 Holland Park, London, W14 8LZ, England
T: 020 7602 3316
Open: Leighton House is open daily except Tuesdays from 11.00 am to 5.30 pm. The House is open on spring and summer bank holidays but closed on other bank holidays and on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
