Bio Godward John William oil painting workshop supplies

John William Godward
English Victorian Neoclassical artist
born 9 August 1861 - died 13 December 1922

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, John William Godward 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. John William Godward 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 John William Godward 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 ...- Bio Godward John William oil painting workshop supplies - Godward John William oil painting workshops supply oil painting England, oil painting workshop supplies Godward John William Bio, Godward John William oil painting supply.

It would be impossible to have even an inkling of what Godward was like without the help of three family members. The first was Ivy Godward of Walton-on-Thames, the only person known by the author who actually knew the artist. She provided invaluable information of a personal nature unavailable elsewhere. My interviews with her in 1979-80 convinced the author that John William Godward had a book.

Gilbert Milo Turner of Great Barr in Birmingham, who married into the family was also informative and helpful. All that John William Godward and his kindly wife possessed they made available to the author. With family anecdotal information, photographs, letters and early works of art, a view of John William Godward began to appear.

Then with Peter Godward of Rustington, the artist's nephew, I was able to piece together the "family view" of the artist, with remarkable clarity. John William Godward possessed two sketch books, documents and numerous oil sketches and personal data which enhanced and supported the project. These great souls made my project their project. They created an information-base starting in 1979 until today, which continues to sustain the scholarship of this book. They cared about the artist and have trusted me as his biographer.

My collaboration with Alice Munro-Faure, a art historical researcher in Cranbrook Kent has proven to be the 'clincher' in finding enough information to write this book. Though she was a paid assistant in this project only since February 1995, Alice constantly went the extra mile, using her considerable talents and experience to uncover many veins of material on the artist and his milieu. The book would NOT have happened without her more than generous interest and long hours of work.- Bio Godward John William oil painting workshop supplies - Godward John William oil painting workshops supply oil painting England, oil painting workshop supplies Godward John William Bio, Godward John William oil painting supply.

My dear friend Roy Brindley of Richard Green Fine Paintings in London must now be mentioned. His interest in Godward and my research in British classical-subject artists has sustained my work since 1978. I call Roy, "My friend in London" because, in that epicenter of Victorian/Edwardian art studies, I needed a friend.

Terry Parker of Reigate Surrey has steadily contributed to the quality of this publication by providing information and photographs of the Pear Prints. Although John William Godward has been busy with his own publications on Fred Morgan and Arthur Elsley, John William Godward has taken the time and effort to help his American colleague. Without the "Brits" how could this foreigner have succeeded.

Throughout, I have been indebted to the major auction houses in New York and London for their constant and considerable help. They provided photographs of hundreds of works of art, and more importantly announced to the world my "forthcoming biography and catalogue raisonne" through credit lines in Sotheby's, Christie's and Phillips auction catalogues. This focused all Godward interest my way, which continues to prove a rich source in all things Godwardesque. Friends like Simon Taylor, Martin Beisley, Poly Satori and Nancy Harrison, Sarah Colegrave, Jane Holland and Sophie Money, and many others have made it possible.

Art dealers have also been supportive. I am grateful to the former Cooling and M. Newman Galleries of London for allowing me to examine their files. Richard Green Fine Paintings, Leger, Polak, Williams and Son, Galleries have also allowed me access to their files and provided photographs. Jeremy Maas, Roy Miles, Peter Nahum, Waterhouse & Dodd, Whitford & Hughes, and Christopher Wood Galleries have provided photographs and information on Godward. Amazingly they have done this in the early days of my research, in spite of the author's lack of bona fides.

My friend, Christopher Wood, has been a font of information and inspiration. An art research nerd and friend, Edward P. Bentley of Lansing Michigan has, from 1984, been a source of information on Godward. I also thank Julian Wontner for sharing his work on William Clarke Wontner. Ann Godward Wilkie, a relative of J. W. Godward, has greatly helped by providing family wills, birth and death certificates.- Bio Godward John William oil painting workshop supplies - Godward John William oil painting workshops supply oil painting England, oil painting workshop supplies Godward John William Bio, Godward John William oil painting supply.

I acknowledge a number of local history archivists at various Borough Libraries who have been very helpful, namely those at: Battersea, Morden, Wimbledon, Holborn, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea. As well as The Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England as well as Jeremy Rex-Parkes (Christie's archives). Thanks to Anne Wheeldon, Archivist-Public Service of Fulham and archivist, Richard A. Shaw of Battersea have been helpful. In addition I thank Frances Stainton, who lives in the Chelsea Studios and Keith Whitehouse, a local Fulham historian, who came up with much background information.

In Utah and the West, Adrian Comolo of the Brigham Young University Library has been of immeasurable help with the Italian side of the equation. Many thanks go to Dr. David Glover of Bountiful Utah, my brother Dr. Robert Dale Hill of Central Point Oregon, and Dr. Kent Rich of Salt Lake City for help to silhouette a personality profile of the artist. And finally to the Springville Museum of Art Board of Trustees and Staff for allowing me to indulge my art historical eccentricities.
Desperately idealistic, Godward was one of those artists, who at first glance, we think we fathom completely. Since John William Godward 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.

The titles of oil painting old master John William Godward

4 Godward John William John William Liegende by England supplies paintings workshops oil painting supply
4  John William Reverie(Study)
4  John William Stesicrate
4  John William Study of Campaspe
4  John William The Answer
4 Godward John William JW Athenais 1908 by England supplies paintings workshops oil painting supply
4  La Pensierosa 1913
4  Landscape Blossoming Red Almond
4  Le Billet Doux
4  Leaning on the Balcony 1892
4 Godward John William Lesbia with her Sparrow by England supplies paintings workshops oil painting supply
4  Megilla
4  Mischief
4  Nerissa
4  Nu Sur La Plage
4 Godward John William On the Balcony 1911 by England supplies paintings workshops oil painting supply
4  Ophelia
4  Phyleis
4  Reverie 1912
4  Rich Gifts Wax Poor When Lovers Prove Unkind
4 Godward John William Sabinella 1912 by England supplies paintings workshops oil painting supply
4  Sappho 1910
4  Summer Flowers 1903
4  Sweet Dreams
4  The Belvedere
4 Godward John William The Betrothed 1892 by England supplies paintings workshops oil painting supply
4  The Delphic Oracle
4  The Flowers of Venus 1890
4  The Fruit Vendor 
4  The Jewel Casket
4 Godward John William The Mirror 1899 by England supplies paintings workshops oil painting supply
4  The New Perfume
4  The Peacock Fan 1912
4  The Rendezvous 1903
4  The Ring 1898
4 Godward John William The Siesta by England supplies paintings workshops oil painting supply
4  The Tambourine Girl 1906
4  The Tambourine Girl2 1906
4  Tranquillity
4  Tranquillity 1914 right
4 Godward John William Tympanistria 1909 by England supplies paintings workshops oil painting supply
4  Under the Blossom that Hangs on the Bough
4  Venus at the Bath
4  Venus Binding Her Hair
4  Waiting for an Answer
4 Godward John William With Violets Wreathed and Robe of Saffron Hue by England supplies paintings workshops oil painting supply
4  Young Girl Picking Grapes 1902
5  At the Garden Shrine Pompeii
5  Ancient Pastimes
5  Dolce far niente 
5 Godward John William In the Days of Sappho by England supplies paintings workshops oil painting supply
5  John William Leisure Hours
5  Mischief and Repose 1895
5  The Bouquet 1899
5  The Engagement Ring c1891
5 Godward John William The Old Old Story by England supplies paintings workshops oil painting supply
5  The Sweet Siesta of a Summer Day
5  Yes or No
5  Youth and Time 1901
6  Innocent Amusements