The provenance of this painting cannot be traced from 1870. Brought by a Mr Moreby in 1864, "The Painter's Honeymoon" was not exhibited at the Royal Academy until 1866. The cause of this is unknown but perhaps the painting had too many personal connotations for the introverted and solitary Leighton. In contrast to the viraginous women in his classical paintings, here Leighton has captured the intimacy, affection and serenity of companionship. The mood recalls some Pre-Raphaelite paintings, such as Michael Frederick halliday's "The Measure for the Wedding Ring" and John Everett Millais' "The Huguenot". The figures are captivated by their love for each other, and this is emphasized by the lack of accessories of background detail. The same models appeared in Leighton's painting "Golden Hours", also executed and exhibited in 1864.
