

It is not impossible, however, that the writer was working from an earlier photograph (so many of Blair Leighton's pictures were published in photogravure), and that the alterations were already in place by this time. Since the picture is both described and reproduced in its original form in the Art Journal of 1913, one might assume that they were carried out between that date and Blair Leighton's death in 1922. While the overwork is so much of a piece with the rest of the picture that it can only be autograph, it is not clear when the changes were made. The artist responded by turning the murderous king into the benign, avuncular figure we see today, at the same time altering the outline of the masonry on the far side of the steps. Whatever the subject's implications, an early owner of the picture, possibly the Mr Schumacher who had it in 1913, must have found the original conception too disturbing and asked Blair Leighton to soften it. As the Victorians (or Edwardians, as they were by this time) would have been well aware, perhaps more so than we are today, Blair Leighton's picture was as much about class distinction and the social status of the artist as it was about amorous dalliance and the capacity of music to be, in Shakespeare's famous phrase, 'the food of love'. The king wore an angrier expression and had his right hand on his sword, the inference being that he would soon be drawing it to slay the young musician, who was by no means the sort of person with whom he wished to see his daughter flirting (Fig. The picture originally struck a much harsher note, and one that greatly enhanced both the poignancy of the title and the force of the honeysuckle symbolism. The honeysuckle which twines round the Romanesque column on the left represents 'love, happiness, and new opportunities' in the language of flowers. He strokes his beard quizzically as he contemplates the young couple, who, wrapped in their own thoughts, are unaware of his approach. Up the steps on the right walks a crowned figure, presumably a king and the girl's father. The picture shows a young woman, evidently a princess, listening to amorous overtures from a good-looking and equally youthful harpist he has no doubt just been singing a song on the same theme, while she has been busy with her embroidery.

Alfred Yockney, in the Blair Leighton issue of the Art Annual published at Christmas 1913, devoted a whole section to 'Mr Blair Leighton's Love Stories,' and commended 'his insight into the ways of lovers.' Thanks for looking at our paintings.Exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1902, two years later than God Speed (lot 16), this picture is one of the artist's innumerable scenes involving young lovers, whether set, as here, in the Middle Ages, or, as is much more common, the Regency era. Lastly, we want you to be happy with your artwork, to care for your artwork and to keep it fresh and new looking for many years of enjoyment. , you can compare the location and the oil painting side by side. Then and Now, and Tilt-Shift painting photos We turned some of the famous oil paintings by famous painters into tilt-shift photos, and we found the locations where they created their famous paintings. If you do not see your favorite artist or painting, you can request it in our Section to find the painter associated with a specific art movement. You can even do a deep search for an oil painting with a specific If you want a visual idea of what different oil painting sizes look like over a 7-foot couch, you can see photos of the

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If you want to see this reproduction oil painting in your home or office before ordering, arrange for a free We cannot rush this procedure, and it takes about three to four weeks to complete by hand, depending on the complexity. Oil paint needs time to dry in certain areas before we continue or before adding more paint layers. They painted it that way, and we likewise painted it that way. Portrait oil paintings from your photographs The same painting procedures are used for all our oil paintings, including

We use an artist's palette, different paintbrushes, quality oil paints, and a Mahl stick to steady the hand. , we begin with a blank artist canvas and draw the outlines in charcoal of what we will paint. The Hostage by Edmund Blair Leighton oil painting reproduction done at The Worlds Artist is 100% hand-painted by expert artists.
