Flaming June by Frederic Leighton - 1895 - 120 × 120 cm Museo de Arte de Ponce Flaming June by Frederic Leighton - 1895 - 120 × 120 cm Museo de Arte de Ponce

Flaming June

oil on canvas • 120 × 120 cm
  • Frederic Leighton - December 3, 1830 - January 25, 1896 Frederic Leighton 1895

Created in 1895 by Lord Frederic Leighton, Flaming June depicts a maiden sleeping on a marble bench in front of the Mediterranean Sea. With the flowing ripples of her orange dress resting around her, the woman sleeps soundly while the sun softly shines down upon her. The toxic Oleander plant in the upper right hand corner symbolizes the delicate connection between sleep and death. By far, the most intriguing and stunning aspect of this painting is the woman’s dress, the intricate ripples are simply beautiful, with Leighton’s shading of the graceful fabric adding dimension to the work. The thing that always puzzles me is the title, what is the meaning behind Flaming June?

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