With violets wreathed and robe of saffron hue by John William Godward

The exoticism of ancient ornaments and the theatricality of lascivious poses permeate this sumptuous monumental composition painted at the height of the artist’s stylistic maturity. In the creation entitled “With violets wreathed and robe of saffron hue”, the independent master John William Godward recreates a universe of Mediterranean luxury where textures of extraordinary richness intertwine. The canvas celebrates the perfect harmony between the wild splendor of nature and the refined elegance of a young Roman patrician at rest.

Seated cross-legged on a white marble terrace, a young woman with a distant gaze leans on her raised left arm. Her curly hair is crowned with a magnificent wreath of small purple flowers, and she wears a golden snake-shaped bracelet on her arm. She is dressed in a crumpled saffron-orange stola and a large purple drapery decorated with circular motifs wrapped around her legs. Her seat is covered with a thick spotted leopard skin and a black embroidered velvet cushion. In the foreground, a marble pool accommodates white water lilies with blooming flowers, while on the horizon unfold a turquoise sea, mountains, and tall dark cypresses.

The craftsman’s expertise is expressed in a masterful manner in the incredible rendering of the spotted fur and the transparency of the clear water. His oil application technique gives perfect flatness and matte finish to the marbles while preserving the modeling of the flesh. This realism tinged with poetry reveals technical virtuosity and a great decorative expertise.