Art Criticism: Flaming June of Frederic Leighton

In the nineteenth century, one of the most famous British artists was Frederic Leighton.
Leighton was born in Scarborough, Yorkshire, to a wealthy family. He was known for
being a painter, draughtsman, and sculptor. The subject matter of his works of art
depicts historical, biblical, and classical in an academic style (Creative Commons
License, 2002). Of all of Leighton's works, the "Flaming June" attracted me the most.

Description

Flaming June is a painting of a sleeping woman wearing an orange dress under a

canopy at the seaside. Oil paint is the medium that Leighton used on the 47 x 47 inch
(120mm x 120mm) dimensions of the squared canvas. Leighton painted the Flaming
June in 1895 before his death in 1896. The painting disappeared in the 1900s and was
rediscovered in the 1960s. After auctions, the Museo de Arte de Ponce in Ponce,
Puerto Rico, purchased the Flaming June. In the painting, the artist used all the colors
in the rainbow and combined them very well. The colors he used to highlight and
emphasize his subject are earthy monochromatic shades. Furthermore, the objects or
figures that the artist used are the sleeping woman, the see-through dress, the shawl,
the sea, the reflected sunlight, the canopy, and the plant. The artist used both actual
and implied lines that made the texture look soft but sculpted. Moreover, the sleeping
woman occupied the whole canvas, where she appeared to be near to the audience
while the sea appeared to be far. 

Analysis

Many art critics say that the "Flaming June" was inspired by Michelangelo's sculpture,
the "Night." In the painting, I see a mythical character, just like goddesses. The woman
is the focal point or center of interest in the painting. Her presence is attractive as she
displays calmness in her sleeping position and seems unbothered on her nap. Her face
is serene and simple, with her flushed cheeks. The painting's composition is stable and
motionless, just like the typical landscape scenarios on a beach - peaceful. The artist
brightened the entire figure of the woman while her background is dim. Maybe the warm
and vibrant intensity of the painting depicts a hot summer day or afternoon time. In
addition, the treatment of the space and landscape does not have an illusion but is real,
where a person will really feel sleepy in that kind of atmosphere. However, the
asymmetrical balance in the painting does not destroy the whole artwork.

Interpretation

The title of the painting is "Flaming June." From the title itself, the artist tried to
represent what is happening in his life in the month of June. He used the flaming color,
which is orange. Together with the ripples of the dress, it may suggest that the artist is
out of control. The chestnut brown color of her hair balances all the other elements. The
sunlight reflected on the sea shows a cool breeze and freshness of the piece. The
woman's face in the painting belongs to Leighton's model, Dorothy Dene (Monahan,
2015). However, there is this plant on the top right corner that is poisonous. It means
that the artist knew he was dying, the reason why he never got the chance to get
married. Meanwhile, the overall portrait of the woman or the landscape itself as a whole
means the dreamscape. Also, the woman sleeping is appealing, pleasurable, and
special, which evokes her innocent face sensually. The painting is classic, and it gives a
sense of timelessness.

Judgment

In my perspective, I was really amazed at the painting of Leighton. Not to mention that
one of my favorite colors is orange, and the aesthetic feeling it gave me makes me want
to wonder the underlying meaning behind that painting. The most appropriate criteria for
Leighton's artwork would be the Impact. It is evident inside and outside the artwork as
what he painted depicts real-life situations. The content and the quality proved that his
work is a masterpiece. The value of his artwork represents the difference between the
traditional life and the modern-day. I can connect myself with the painting that life is a
dream. Actually, everyone can relate to the painting. The woman's face may suggest
death, but the reddish cheeks made the glow of her life. Through sleeping, we dream.
We dream to save ourselves from reality, yearn to relax, retire from battles and be alive.

References:

Creative Commons License (2002). Lord Frederick Leighton: The Completed Works.
Retrieved from: https://www.frederic-leighton.org/biography.html

Monahan (2015). The Strange Journey of One of the World’s Most Famous Paintings.
Retrieved from: https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2015/06/flaming-june-identity-
frederic-lord-leighton-dorothy-dene