Vera & Aileen Woodroffe.
Abandoned unfinished in his studio at his death, Clytie is Leighton's final work. Acquired with the aid of The Art Fund in 2008, it is the first mature painting by the artist to enter the Leighton House collection. Depicting Clytie, Apollo's rejected lover, it captures the magnificent isolation to which she pledges herself before transforming into a flower and becoming rooted to the ground.
The half-length portrait of Lord Leighton by GF Watts reflects the lifelong friendship between artist and sitter. Captured with his head resting casually on his hand, Leighton gazes gently out towards the viewer.
