John William
Godward
English Victorian Neoclassical artist
born 9 August 1861 - died 13 December 1922
Reprinted below is an extract from the opening chapter of Dr Vern Swanson's landmark biography of the artist: John William Godward: The Eclipse of Classicism. The above link will take you to the entire text of the book, illustrated onl ine from works in the ARC Museum.
The serene beauty and astonishing technical execution of John William Godward's paintings contradict the fact that this important artist has received virtually no critical acclaim or art historical recognition.
We know little about this artist's private life, which is not betrayed
by his art. Melancholy, kindly, reclusive, handsome, talented and shy,
J. W. Godward's life is still a mystery, a censored book, protected
by himself and sealed by his family. Unlike most Olympian
Classicists before him, he preferred anonymity and privacy.
Ignored by the quickly changing tastes of the art critics, Godward became the climatic figure of English classical-subject painting as this genre itself shriveled under the blaze of the 20th century avant-garde. He was the best of the last great European painters to straight-forwardly embrace classical Greece and Rome in their art. Herein lies his significance to art history.
With him and his colleagues, we see the nightfall of five hundred years
of Classical subject painting in Western art.
Desperately idealistic, Godward was one of those artists, who at first glance, we think we fathom completely. Since he is often dismissed
with the inadequate catch phrases: an Alma-Tadema clone, a "too late" Classicist, a "pedant of the brush", a "pot-boiler" or merely the painter of
an insipid world of languorous women on marble benches, no serious
study of his art has been undertaken. And because we are a society that honors "firsts" rather than "lasts" few art historians have examined the demise of Classical subject-painting, of which Godward is a chief exemplar. All of these judgements, in the light of historical distance,
can be seen as unjust prejudices.
In Godward's work we see the final summation of half a millennium of Classical antique influence on Western painting. Next to Christianity it
was by far the greatest outside influence on European painting.
It vanished during Godward's generation -- killed, as it were,
by contemporary nihilistic philosophies. While pointed references
to Classicism continued, even unto today, the idealistic rhetoric accompanying it has died. During a period of rapidly declining interest
in Greco-Roman antiquity courageous artists from the 19th century continued, against all odds, in this field for the first third
of the 20th century ...
Translated title: The Love Letter.
1913
Oil on canvas
31 3/8 x 15 5/8 inches (80 x 39.8 cm)
Collection of Edward B. Frankel, M.D., USA
1913
Oil on canvas
34 1/2 x 23 1/2 inches (87.8 x 59.8 cm)
Private collection
1912
Oil on canvas
51 1/8 x 31 inches (130 x 79 cm)
Private collection
1912
Oil on canvas
30 1/2 x 15 1/8 inches (77.5 x 38.7 cm)
Private collection
c.1912
Oil on panel
12 3/8 x 15 5/8 inches (31.7 x 40 cm)
Collection of Vern and Judy Swanson, Springville, Utah, USA
1912
Oil on canvas
50 x 30 inches (127 x 76.2 cm)
Private collection
1912
Oil on canvas
31 3/8 x 15 inches (80 x 38.4 cm)
Private collection
1911
Oil on canvas
15 1/4 x 15 1/4 inches (39 x 39 cm)
Private collection
1909
Oil on canvas
14 x 12 inches (35.6 x 30.5 cm)
Private collection
1909
Oil on canvas
20 x 15 7/8 inches (50.8 x 40.6 cm)
Private collection
1893
Oil on canvas
24 1/2 x 40 3/8 inches (62.5 x 102.7 cm)
Private collection
Oil on canvas
Private collection
Oil on canvas
28 1/8 x 34 inches (71.5 x 86.5 cm)
Private collection
1920
Oil on canvas
35 x 47 1/8 inches (89 x 120 cm)
Private collection
1917
Oil on canvas
24 x 32 inches (61 x 81.3 cm)
Private collection
1914
Oil on canvas
40 1/8 x 20 inches (102 x 51 cm)
Private collection
1914
Oil on canvas
20 x 32 inches (50.8 x 81.3 cm)
Private collection
1913
Oil on canvas
38 3/4 x 19 inches (98.5 x 48.5 cm)
Private collection
Translated title: The Thinker.
1913
Oil on canvas
38 7/8 x 20 inches (99 x 51 cm)
Private collection
Translated title: Sweet Nothings.
Oil on canvas
Private collection
Oil on canvas
Public collection
1917
Oil on canvas
20 x 39 3/8 inches (50.8 x 100.3 cm)
Private collection
Signed and dated 1917, also signed and dated Rome 1917 on the reverse
1916
Oil on canvas
38 7/8 x 19 3/8 inches (99 x 49.5 cm)
Private collection
1911
Oil on canvas
31 7/8 x 16 1/8 inches (81 x 41 cm)
Private collection
1908
Oil on canvas
37 1/8 x 37 1/8 inches (94.6 x 94.6 cm)
Private collection
1906
Oil on canvas
20 x 30 inches (50.9 x 76.2 cm)
Collection of Fred and Sherry Ross, USA
1906
Oil on canvas
45 x 29 7/8 inches (114.5 x 76 cm)
Private collection
Alternative title: The Priestess of Bacchus.
1898
Oil on canvas
63 1/2 x 27 7/8 inches (161.6 x 71.1 cm)
Private collection
Oil on canvas
20 x 20 inches (50.80 x 50.80 cm)
Collection of Fred and Sherry Ross, USA
1895
Oil on board
12 1/4 x 6 1/4 inches (31.2 x 16.1 cm)
Private collection
1895
Oil on board
12 1/4 x 6 1/4 inches (31.2 x 16.1 cm)
Private collection
1899
Oil on canvas
31 5/8 x 14 3/4 inches (80.6 x 37.5 cm)
Private collection
1905
Oil on canvas
40 x 20 inches (101.6 x 50.8 cm)
Private collection
1912
Oil on canvas
49 1/8 x 32 5/8 inches (125 x 83 cm)
Private collection
Oil on canvas
Collection of Fred and Sherry Ross, USA
Oil on canvas
Collection of Fred and Sherry Ross, USA
Godward
English Victorian Neoclassical artist
born 9 August 1861 - died 13 December 1922
Reprinted below is an extract from the opening chapter of Dr Vern Swanson's landmark biography of the artist: John William Godward: The Eclipse of Classicism. The above link will take you to the entire text of the book, illustrated onl ine from works in the ARC Museum.
The serene beauty and astonishing technical execution of John William Godward's paintings contradict the fact that this important artist has received virtually no critical acclaim or art historical recognition.
We know little about this artist's private life, which is not betrayed
by his art. Melancholy, kindly, reclusive, handsome, talented and shy,
J. W. Godward's life is still a mystery, a censored book, protected
by himself and sealed by his family. Unlike most Olympian
Classicists before him, he preferred anonymity and privacy.
Ignored by the quickly changing tastes of the art critics, Godward became the climatic figure of English classical-subject painting as this genre itself shriveled under the blaze of the 20th century avant-garde. He was the best of the last great European painters to straight-forwardly embrace classical Greece and Rome in their art. Herein lies his significance to art history.
With him and his colleagues, we see the nightfall of five hundred years
of Classical subject painting in Western art.
Desperately idealistic, Godward was one of those artists, who at first glance, we think we fathom completely. Since he is often dismissed
with the inadequate catch phrases: an Alma-Tadema clone, a "too late" Classicist, a "pedant of the brush", a "pot-boiler" or merely the painter of
an insipid world of languorous women on marble benches, no serious
study of his art has been undertaken. And because we are a society that honors "firsts" rather than "lasts" few art historians have examined the demise of Classical subject-painting, of which Godward is a chief exemplar. All of these judgements, in the light of historical distance,
can be seen as unjust prejudices.
In Godward's work we see the final summation of half a millennium of Classical antique influence on Western painting. Next to Christianity it
was by far the greatest outside influence on European painting.
It vanished during Godward's generation -- killed, as it were,
by contemporary nihilistic philosophies. While pointed references
to Classicism continued, even unto today, the idealistic rhetoric accompanying it has died. During a period of rapidly declining interest
in Greco-Roman antiquity courageous artists from the 19th century continued, against all odds, in this field for the first third
of the 20th century ...
|
Le Billet Doux |
Translated title: The Love Letter.
1913
Oil on canvas
31 3/8 x 15 5/8 inches (80 x 39.8 cm)
Collection of Edward B. Frankel, M.D., USA
)
|
The Belvedere |
1913
Oil on canvas
34 1/2 x 23 1/2 inches (87.8 x 59.8 cm)
Private collection
)
|
Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder |
1912
Oil on canvas
51 1/8 x 31 inches (130 x 79 cm)
Private collection
|
An Offering to Venus |
1912
Oil on canvas
30 1/2 x 15 1/8 inches (77.5 x 38.7 cm)
Private collection
)
|
Landscape: Blossoming Red Almond [study] |
c.1912
Oil on panel
12 3/8 x 15 5/8 inches (31.7 x 40 cm)
Collection of Vern and Judy Swanson, Springville, Utah, USA
)
|
Reverie |
1912
Oil on canvas
50 x 30 inches (127 x 76.2 cm)
Private collection
|
The Peacock Fan |
1912
Oil on canvas
31 3/8 x 15 inches (80 x 38.4 cm)
Private collection
)
|
In Realms of Fancy |
1911
Oil on canvas
15 1/4 x 15 1/4 inches (39 x 39 cm)
Private collection
)
|
A Classical Beauty |
1909
Oil on canvas
14 x 12 inches (35.6 x 30.5 cm)
Private collection
)
|
A Grecian Lovely |
1909
Oil on canvas
20 x 15 7/8 inches (50.8 x 40.6 cm)
Private collection
)
|
Endymion |
1893
Oil on canvas
24 1/2 x 40 3/8 inches (62.5 x 102.7 cm)
Private collection
|
At the Garden Shrine, Pompeii |
Oil on canvas
Private collection
)
|
The Old, Old Story |
Oil on canvas
28 1/8 x 34 inches (71.5 x 86.5 cm)
Private collection
)
|
A Souvenir |
1920
Oil on canvas
35 x 47 1/8 inches (89 x 120 cm)
Private collection
)
|
'Under the Blossom that Hangs on the Bough' |
1917
Oil on canvas
24 x 32 inches (61 x 81.3 cm)
Private collection
|
The New Perfume |
1914
Oil on canvas
40 1/8 x 20 inches (102 x 51 cm)
Private collection
)
|
Tranquillity |
1914
Oil on canvas
20 x 32 inches (50.8 x 81.3 cm)
Private collection
|
In the Tepidarium |
1913
Oil on canvas
38 3/4 x 19 inches (98.5 x 48.5 cm)
Private collection
|
La Pensierosa |
Translated title: The Thinker.
1913
Oil on canvas
38 7/8 x 20 inches (99 x 51 cm)
Private collection
)
|
Dolce far niente |
Translated title: Sweet Nothings.
Oil on canvas
Private collection
)
|
Erato at Her Lyre |
Oil on canvas
Public collection
)
|
The Fruit Vendor |
1917
Oil on canvas
20 x 39 3/8 inches (50.8 x 100.3 cm)
Private collection
Signed and dated 1917, also signed and dated Rome 1917 on the reverse
|
Lesbia with her Sparrow |
1916
Oil on canvas
38 7/8 x 19 3/8 inches (99 x 49.5 cm)
Private collection
|
On the Balcony |
1911
Oil on canvas
31 7/8 x 16 1/8 inches (81 x 41 cm)
Private collection
)
|
A Grecian Girl |
1908
Oil on canvas
37 1/8 x 37 1/8 inches (94.6 x 94.6 cm)
Private collection
)
|
A Quiet Pet [detail] |
1906
Oil on canvas
20 x 30 inches (50.9 x 76.2 cm)
Collection of Fred and Sherry Ross, USA
)
|
The Tambourine Girl |
1906
Oil on canvas
45 x 29 7/8 inches (114.5 x 76 cm)
Private collection
|
At the Gate of the Temple |
Alternative title: The Priestess of Bacchus.
1898
Oil on canvas
63 1/2 x 27 7/8 inches (161.6 x 71.1 cm)
Private collection
|
Chloris - A Summer Rose |
Oil on canvas
20 x 20 inches (50.80 x 50.80 cm)
Collection of Fred and Sherry Ross, USA
|
The Priestess |
1895
Oil on board
12 1/4 x 6 1/4 inches (31.2 x 16.1 cm)
Private collection
|
A Pompeian Lady |
1895
Oil on board
12 1/4 x 6 1/4 inches (31.2 x 16.1 cm)
Private collection
|
The Mirror |
1899
Oil on canvas
31 5/8 x 14 3/4 inches (80.6 x 37.5 cm)
Private collection
|
Mischief |
1905
Oil on canvas
40 x 20 inches (101.6 x 50.8 cm)
Private collection
)
|
By the Wayside |
1912
Oil on canvas
49 1/8 x 32 5/8 inches (125 x 83 cm)
Private collection
)
|
A Classical Beauty |
Oil on canvas
Collection of Fred and Sherry Ross, USA
)
|
Classical Beauty |
Oil on canvas
Collection of Fred and Sherry Ross, USA
'좋은그림들 > 외국의화가의 작품' 카테고리의 다른 글
| William Merritt Chase (0) | 2009.08.19 |
|---|---|
| He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (0) | 2009.08.14 |
| Jia Lu의 아름다운 미인도 2 (0) | 2009.07.15 |
| Jia Lu (0) | 2009.07.15 |
| Godward 4 (0) | 2009.07.14 |