John William Godward R.B.A.

Acquired directly from the artist by a member of the household staff
Private Collection (by descent from the above, her great grandson, and sold: Sotheby's, New York, April 20, 2005, lot 7, illustrated)
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

Very good condition, lined; under UV: thin vertical line of inpainting along her left forearm, some pindots of inpainting to her torso and feet area.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The present work is a study for John William Godward's monumental Campaspe (sold Sotheby's, London, December 14, 2006, lot 127). Much like the final painting, the oil study depicts not a pale, tragic and fragile ingénue as may have been painted in the mid- nineteenth century, but a more red-blooded, confident woman of the end of the century: commanding, seductive and languorous. She is bedecked with violets and carries a golden wand which she strokes suggestively with her forefinger whilst she gazes out alluringly at her admirers. Her full lips, blushed cheeks and somnolent eyes add to the erotic charge, fully evident in even the diminutive painting presented here. Leaning against her own diaphanous robes and the ribbons which had bound them around her now exposed form, her confrontational pose reminds the viewer they are witness to the undressing of a real woman rather than the perpetual nudity of nymphs and goddesses.

 

Campaspe (also known as Pancaste) was the alluring concubine of Alexander the Great. The Ancient Greek King sought to immortalize her beauty and commissioned the greatest of all classical artists Apelles to paint her portrait. The resulting long-lost picture depicted the naked girl in the guise of Venus Anadyoneme (Venus wringing her hair after rising from the sea) was said to be both erotic and virtuous and delighted Alexander to such an extent that he resolved to give Campaspe to Apelles who had fallen in love with the girl as he painted her. The story of Alexander, Apelles and Campaspe, told by Pliny the Elder in Book XXXV of the Natural History, has been interpreted as an apocryphal allegory of Alexander's generosity. The subject appealed to artists who wished to be identified with the famed Apelles, able to create beautiful imagery and to be honored as a result. It also appealed to the powerful patron, who liked to imagine himself as world ruler and magnanimous sponsor of the arts.

 

In comparing the study with the final painting, it is evident that Godward experimented with the model's expression and carriage to capture different sides of the confident persona he sought to convey. The large-scale painting depicts Campaspe as untouchable and proud, her head held straight, chin tilted slightly up so that her eyes almost peer down at the viewer. The pose in the study is subtly different. Her head is titled to the side, her gaze is slightly more inviting and sensuous, a faint smile plays upon her lips. A striking and beautifully painted image, the Study of Campaspe is a gem-like souvenir of one of Godward's most powerful paintings.