Ismenia by John William Godward

The exaltation of the domestic refinement of ancient Rome inspires this bust study of great psychological delicacy. Within the creation named “Ismenia”, the illustrious portraitist John William Godward delivers a female profile striking in its purity and tranquil dignity. The painting illustrates the author’s attachment to the principles of Olympian classicism, celebrating the perfect accord between the splendor of mineral materials and the delicate grace of the subject depicted.

A young brunette woman is depicted seated in profile to the left, her hairstyle held by two thin parallel golden headbands. Dressed in a fine pleated purple tunic with mother-of-pearl buttons on the sleeves, she sports a wide scarlet sash tied under her chest. With her right hand, she delicately raises a bright red cherry above a large dark bronze bowl that she holds stable on her knees draped in a yellow-ochre cloth. Her body leans against a seat covered with a thick speckled white fur, while the background reveals a magnificent white marble wall veined with black juxtaposed with a red marble panel.

The craftsman’s talent shines through in the virtuoso opposition between the smooth polish of the decorative marble and the velvety finish of the female skin. His handling of the oil medium confers an exceptional tactile realism upon the glossy fruits and the bronze reflections. This precision of execution confirms his immense professional expertise.