Book Projects
A critical examination of Pablo Picasso's relationships with men that includes chapters devoted to the artist's attachment to his father, as well as investigations into the artist's bonds with his primary male friends and art dealers.
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Based on a reworking of the art critic John Berger's 1972 BBC series and book, Leigh re-examines what it means to look at art in the 21st century.
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Articles and Anthology Chapters
"Degas's Self-Portraits"
A deep dive into the self-portraiture practice of Degas in the 1850s and '60s. |
"Horizontal Art History: Critiquing Modernist Geographies"
Explores the potential that transnational case studies might have for undermining the hierarchical, vertical discourse which has so long characterized the study of Western European Art. |
"Warhol's Masculinity"
A new assessment of the role that formulas for successful manhood in the mid-20th century played in Warhol's life and art. |
Older Research
“Masculinity and Partnership: The Artel of Artists, the Peredvizhniki, and Fraternal Values from 1863-1885”
To be published in Russian under the title:
“Мужское начало и товарищество: артель художников, передвижники и братские ценности 1863–1885”
Recent scholarship has reassessed the factors that led to the formation of the Peredvizhniki group as well as its overarching values and ideological underpinnings. In many ways, the Peredvizhniki can be seen as a remarkable experiment in artistic collectivism, but what has so far not been thoroughly evaluated is the unique sense of fraternal values and masculine solidarity which characterized the group from its inception. Building off the recent work of Andrey Shabanov, this talk explores the notion of tovarishchestvo or “partnership” in the work of Ivan Kramskoi and examines how he cultivated conceptions of brotherhood and masculine solidarity by creating numerous portraits of his fellow artists. By returning the group to its original social and exhibitionary context, it becomes clear that the partnership reflected larger values surrounding the importance of male bonds in the second half of the century.
To be published in Russian under the title:
“Мужское начало и товарищество: артель художников, передвижники и братские ценности 1863–1885”
Recent scholarship has reassessed the factors that led to the formation of the Peredvizhniki group as well as its overarching values and ideological underpinnings. In many ways, the Peredvizhniki can be seen as a remarkable experiment in artistic collectivism, but what has so far not been thoroughly evaluated is the unique sense of fraternal values and masculine solidarity which characterized the group from its inception. Building off the recent work of Andrey Shabanov, this talk explores the notion of tovarishchestvo or “partnership” in the work of Ivan Kramskoi and examines how he cultivated conceptions of brotherhood and masculine solidarity by creating numerous portraits of his fellow artists. By returning the group to its original social and exhibitionary context, it becomes clear that the partnership reflected larger values surrounding the importance of male bonds in the second half of the century.
Top Image:
Portraits of Artists made by Ivan Kramskoi between 1871 and 1887 (photograph by the author).
[Top row: Портрет Ф.А. Васильева. 1871; Портрет М.К. Клодт. 1871, oil on canvas. 89 × 69, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет М. Антокольского. 1871, oil on canvas. 88 × 67, State Museum of Belarus, Minsk; Портрет К.А. Савицкого. 1871, oil on cardboard, Voronezh Regional Art Museum. Inv. Ж-319; Портрет Г.Г. Мясоедова. 1872, oil on canvas, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет И.И. Шишкин. 1873, oil on canvas. 110.5 × 78, State Tretyakov Gallery]
[Second row: Автопортрет. 1874, oil on cardboard. 42.5 × 34, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет В.М. Васнецова. 1874, sauce, pencil, and ceruse on paper. 60 × 44.6, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет М.Б. Дьяконова. 1875, oil on canvas. 75.6 × 62.2, State Russian Museum; Портрет И.Е. Репина. 1876; Портрет М.М. Антокольского. 1876, oil on canvas. 75 × 63.5, State Russian Museum. Inv. Ж-2990]
[Third row: Портрет А.И. Куинджи. 1877, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет К.Ф. Гуна. 1878, oil on canvas. 85.5 × 70, Scientific-Research Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts; Портрет А.Д. Литивченко. 1878, oil on canvas. 96 × 69, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет П.А. Брюллова. 1879, oil on canvas, State Russian Museum; Портрет И.И. Шишкин. 1880, oil on canvas. 115.5 × 83.5, State Russian Museum; Портрет В.Г. Перова. 1881, oil on canvas. 81 × 71, State Russian Museum. Inv. Ж-2985]
[Bottom row: Портрет И.К. Айвазовский. 1881, oil on canvas. 67 × 64, Феодосийская картинная галерея имени И. К. Айвазовского; Портрет А. А. Киселева. 1883, oil on canvas. 44.6 × 34.6, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет А. П. Соколова. 1883; Портрет В.В. Верещагина. 1883, oil on canvas. 78.2 × 68.7, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет А.Г. Деньера. 1883, oil on canvas. 65 × 55.5, State Russian Museum; Портрет В.И. Сурикова. 1887, oil on canvas. 73.5 × 59.5; Красноярский художественный музей В.И. Сурикова (all paintings by Ivan Kramksoi)]
Bottom Image:
2-Axis column bar graph showing I.N. Kramkoi’s production of artist portraits between 1860 and 1887 (photograph by the author).
Portraits of Artists made by Ivan Kramskoi between 1871 and 1887 (photograph by the author).
[Top row: Портрет Ф.А. Васильева. 1871; Портрет М.К. Клодт. 1871, oil on canvas. 89 × 69, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет М. Антокольского. 1871, oil on canvas. 88 × 67, State Museum of Belarus, Minsk; Портрет К.А. Савицкого. 1871, oil on cardboard, Voronezh Regional Art Museum. Inv. Ж-319; Портрет Г.Г. Мясоедова. 1872, oil on canvas, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет И.И. Шишкин. 1873, oil on canvas. 110.5 × 78, State Tretyakov Gallery]
[Second row: Автопортрет. 1874, oil on cardboard. 42.5 × 34, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет В.М. Васнецова. 1874, sauce, pencil, and ceruse on paper. 60 × 44.6, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет М.Б. Дьяконова. 1875, oil on canvas. 75.6 × 62.2, State Russian Museum; Портрет И.Е. Репина. 1876; Портрет М.М. Антокольского. 1876, oil on canvas. 75 × 63.5, State Russian Museum. Inv. Ж-2990]
[Third row: Портрет А.И. Куинджи. 1877, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет К.Ф. Гуна. 1878, oil on canvas. 85.5 × 70, Scientific-Research Museum of the Russian Academy of Arts; Портрет А.Д. Литивченко. 1878, oil on canvas. 96 × 69, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет П.А. Брюллова. 1879, oil on canvas, State Russian Museum; Портрет И.И. Шишкин. 1880, oil on canvas. 115.5 × 83.5, State Russian Museum; Портрет В.Г. Перова. 1881, oil on canvas. 81 × 71, State Russian Museum. Inv. Ж-2985]
[Bottom row: Портрет И.К. Айвазовский. 1881, oil on canvas. 67 × 64, Феодосийская картинная галерея имени И. К. Айвазовского; Портрет А. А. Киселева. 1883, oil on canvas. 44.6 × 34.6, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет А. П. Соколова. 1883; Портрет В.В. Верещагина. 1883, oil on canvas. 78.2 × 68.7, State Tretyakov Gallery; Портрет А.Г. Деньера. 1883, oil on canvas. 65 × 55.5, State Russian Museum; Портрет В.И. Сурикова. 1887, oil on canvas. 73.5 × 59.5; Красноярский художественный музей В.И. Сурикова (all paintings by Ivan Kramksoi)]
Bottom Image:
2-Axis column bar graph showing I.N. Kramkoi’s production of artist portraits between 1860 and 1887 (photograph by the author).