Solitude

Leighton’s work generally illustrates biblical, classical and historical subject matter. The visual context for this work was inspired by studies the artist made of the Lynn of Dee near Braemar, Scotland. He described the spot to his sister as a location where “the vehemence of winter has scooped and worn pools so deep that . . . you come at last to absolute dark brown night . . . no sound, no faintest gurgle even reaches your ear; the silent mystery of it all absolutely invades and possesses you; that is what I vainly tried to put into my Solitude.”