Flaming June by Sir Frederic Leighton

Frederic Leighton was a British artist of the Victorian era and long-time president of the Royal Academy whose artistic brilliance is behind this painting titled, 'Flaming June'. He was a painter of the neoclassical movement. This painting was presented to the Royal Academy in 1985. It was one of Leighton's final six paintings that were displayed in a group. Among the other five, June seemed a little odd to the eye of the people.

The woman in this painting is enjoying a quiet nap on a terrace on a summer day. Her hair, her dress, her shawl- all of it merges into a river of orange. She is often likened to a nymph sleeping on a chair. The warmth of it all can actually be felt off the screen itself. She takes most of the canvas, her form accused by critics to be more decorative than comfortable. The turquoise waters of the Meditteranean sea glitter behind her. But things are not as calm and serene as it might seem. Because the plant at the top right corner is a deadly poisonous oleander. This might be implemented to allude to the gentle connection between sleep and death. The visual similarity between life and death was a popular concept in the Victorian era.

This poem caught my eye because of this allusion. They say that sleep is death's cousin and that's a notion that I've always believed in. The calmness of the woman, unaware of the symbol of death, right above her makes it all the more interesting. Even though this is considered to be a very simple painting, I think it has much more artistic depth to it than what meets the eye.

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