Portrait of Giovanni Costa
Leighton met Giovanni Costa, an Italian landscape painter, in the early 1850s and maintained a profound friendship with the artist until his death in 1896. This portrait was painted in 1878 while Leighton was visiting the Ligurian Coast. The portrait has an immediacy sometimes lacking in Leighton’s more formal portraits and an empathy that reflects the closeness of the friendship. Leighton did much to further Costa’s career in England, organising an exhibition, and buying works from him. On his death, Costa received a payment of £3,000 from Leighton's estate.
1878
Oil on canvas
735.0 x 640.0cm
LH2187
Image and text © The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, 2020
Where you'll find this
Leighton House
Permanent collection