aithfully painted transcript of _The Arab Hall_, at No. 2,
Holland Park Road.
[Illustration: GREEK GIRLS PLAYING AT BALL (1889)
_By permission of the Berlin Photographic Co._]
[Illustration: THE BATH OF PSYCHE (1890)
_By permission of the Berlin Photographic Co._]
In 1891 appeared _Perseus and Andromeda_, a very original version of a
theme which it seems the destiny of every painter and sculptor of
classical subjects to attempt at some time. In this Andromeda is bound
to a rock, the monster stands over her with outstretched wings, while
from the clouds above, Perseus, on his winged steed, is discharging
arrows. The clay models for Perseus are reproduced elsewhere (at p. 68).
The _Return of Persephone_ was another important work shown this year.
It represents Persephone, supported by Hermes, being brought back to the
upper world, where she is awaited with outstretched arms by Demeter. A
_Portrait of A. B. Mitford, Esq._, and a marble version of the _Athlete
Struggling with a Python_, were also shown in the same exhibition.
In 1892 a version of a panel of the proposed decoration for the dome of
St. Paul's appeared with the title, _And the Sea gave up the Dead which
were in it_; this, purchased by Mr. Henry Tate, is now among the
pictures he gave to the Gallery at Millbank. The most important of
Leighton's later works, _The Garden of the Hesperides_, in many respects
the most sumptuous piece of decoration he ever achieved, was shown this
year. It is a large circular picture, the centre occupied by a tree
bearing golden apples; under its branches recline the three Hesperides,
caressing the dragon who assists them to guard the treasure. A superbly
brilliant sea is in the distance. The charm of this picture is mainly in
its colour, but as an example of elaborately artificial composition it
is hardly less noteworthy. Unfortunately, despite every effort of Lord
Leighton, most kindly exerted on behalf of the editor of this volume,
the owners of the copyright refused under any condition to allow it to
be illustrated herein. _A Bacchante_, and _At the Fountain_, a girl in
fawn-coloured and violet draperies, with a bunch of lemons overhanging
the marble wall behind her, were shown this year; and also a _Clytie_,
which must not be confused with another known by the same title, the
last picture on which the artist was at work before his death. The 1892
version, shown in the retrospective exh
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