On the Threshold

Edmund Blair Leighton 1853 - 1922

Summary

An intimate, sentimental scene of a young man and woman alone in a suburban garden in front of an ornate covered porch. The young woman is dressed in white, and sits to the right of the porch sewing, her sewing basket on a small table to her side, whilst the young man, in riding dress, leans against the porch to the left, facing her. In the background the house interior can be seen through the open door. The title of the work and the nervous stance of the gentleman suggests an imminent marriage proposal.

Display Label

On the Threshold 1900 Edmund Blair Leighton 1853 – 1922 Oil on panel The painting’s title refers not only to the doorway, but to the the threshold of a marriage proposal. Its meaning is further underlined by the tradition of carrying the bride over the threshold. The man appears reflective, perhaps a little undecided. The girl sits by some roses whose beauty and fragrance we are intended to associate with her. This flower is linked to Venus, the goddess of love, but its thorns also symbolise the wounds love can inflict. The clinging ivy may refer to wedlock’s dependency. Blair Leighton was especially good at faces and fabrics: long, beautiful dresses were the highlights of his pictures. James Thomas Blair bequest 1917.239