Flaming June, by Sir Frederic Leighton (1895)
Where do we go when we fall asleep?
“Flaming June” by Sir Frederic Leighton is one of the masterpieces of Victorian “academic” art. It’s a beautiful meditation on the semblance between sleep and death.
The most impressive thing about this painting is the rich orange dress the woman is wearing. The combination of the silky orange, with her brown hair and cream-colored skin makes for a deeply lush and warm viewing experience.
But notice also how her body takes up almost the entire frame, in a naturalistic pose of safety and relaxation. It’s a gentle and sensual image.
But the painting is also a meditation on the similarity between sleep and death. Consider the plant in the top right corner. It’s a branch from the poisonous oleander tree, symbolizing death. Whereas the woman’s rosy cheeks and relaxed body language suggest that she is merely sleeping.
The painting was inspired by Michelangelo’s sculpture “Night”, a feature on one of the Medici’s graves. Once again the theme of sleep and death returns.
And what is the creative act, if not a kind of waking death, as Kafka once wrote. Art and death, dreams and sleep. This painting has it all. But above all, it’s the warmth that stays with you. The gentle glow of a midsummer day’s nap.
Julian
Wonderful thoughts, thank you!