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He was the grandson of the Imperial Physician to Czar Alexander I of Russia, the Czar whose most famous enterprise was his defeat of Napoleon in 1812.
Leighton's grandfather had amassed great wealth in this enterprise, and Leighton's father, also very wealthy, supported his son's art career with a lifelong stipend, albeit reluctantly, since he didn't believe that being an artist was a good career choice.
Leighton's first sale of a painting was to Queen Victoria, who thereupon became a regular patron of his works, many on classical and mythological subjects.
Leighton traveled widely and spoke English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.
Interestingly Leighton seems to have been an atheist in a time that was even less tolerant of atheism than we are today.
The queen was so enamored of his paintings that she created him Lord Leighton, Baron of Stretton. He died shortly after receiving this honor, unique among British artists, making the House of Stretton the shortest lived Noble House in recorded British history, as Leighton had no legitimate children and the House passed out of existence when he died.
He had a profound love of Architecture and his house, now a museum dedicated to his art was built over thirty years, originally having been designed by George Aitchison, considered by his contemporaries to be one of the most important architects of the 19th century.
I have a soft spot for 19th Century British art, which I think is somewhat under appreciated.
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