Leonard Charles Nightingale

Henry T. Mullen, Harrogate
A. Smith, Surrey
Sale: Sotheby's London, March 11, 1998, lot 147, illustrated
Callan Fine Art, New Orleans
Acquired from the above by the present owner

Possibly, London, Royal Academy, 1895, no. 396 

Nightingale’s scene of the Victorian era’s English countryside epitomizes the pleasure in outdoor fun and activity.  The beautiful dresses of the proud hostess and her happy visitors, and the handsome brick archway with extensive blooms trained upon it inform the viewer that these lovely women and girls are of a privileged background, and have few worldly cares.  Though buoyed by a bustling sense of fun, a feeling of bucolic calm prevails in this lush suburban setting.  These elements fulfilled the desires of the Victorian viewer.  Midsummer Roses opens a window onto a life full of simple and innocent pleasures, free from the worries of England’s struggling working class and the abrupt social changes brought on by an expanding industrial age.