at the Royal Academy (and Leighton House) until 12 February 2025 

Frederic Leighton's talent was recognised at an early age. His first submission to the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition took place in 1855 at the age of 25 with a painting that was bought on the opening day - by none other than Queen Victoria. By 48 he was President of the Royal Academy, a post he held until his death in 1896. Unbeknown to him - or anyone else - the year before would turn out to be his last Summer Exhibition. He showed six paintings, one of which has become one of his most famous: Flaming June. 

His work has not always been popular, though. The painting even went missing for three decades, and when it was re-discovered in the 1960s, it was sold at auction for $140 - a mere £1,126 in contemporary terms. Soon after it was bought by the Museo de Arte de Ponce in Puerto Rico, where it has remained, with occasional loans to other museums, ever since. This means that relatively few people in Western Europe have ever seen it.  However, it is now on view at the Royal Academy in London, and oddly they don't seem to be making a big noise about it. It is exhibited in the galleries given over to their own collections, which means that you can see it for free - if you happen to be in London, of course. The display includes other works by Leighton in the RA's collection, including paintings, sculptures and drawings - with a particular focus on sketches for Flaming June itself. 

Last year the Leighton House Museum in Holland Park acquired a painted sketch of the work, which they too are exhibiting in a micro-display alongside some of their drawings by Leighton - and that display is also free. 

To get this glorious painting further -while also looking forward, optimistically, to a wonderful summer - I will explore both displays, drawing on ideas and information from the catalogue of the Leighton House exhibition from 2017, the last time that the painting was in London.