John William Godward

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This painting is in beautiful condition. The canvas is not lined; the painting is cleaned and varnished. There are no restorations and the work should be hung as is.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

The present work was painted during Godward’s “Roman Period,” when he journeyed to the ancient city itself, and took residence in one of the “studii di Pittura e Scultura”  of the Villa Stohl-Fern.  From its construction in 1879 by the Alsatian Alfred Wilhelm Strohl-Fern (1847-1926), the studio complex had provided seclusion for painters from Arnold Böcklin to Ilya E. Repin to find inspiration.  Escaping the pressures of London, Godward likely particularly enjoyed the villa’s expansive gardens, both for their abundant, diverse botanicals and the many Roman sculptures that were set there.  Yet Godward was not in Rome to holiday.  Indeed, upon visiting his fellow artist in the winter of 1912-3, Sir William Russell Flint found that Godward  “worked steadily at his Greek maidens,” with A Roman Beauty one of the many works the focused artist completed in this prolific period (Vern Grosvenor Swanson, John William Godward, The Eclipse of Classicism, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 1997, pp. 100-1). 

 Set against Godward’s always masterfully recreated marble, painted in shifting cool, creamy tones, the lovely model is placed in profile — a pose that both emulates the figures on ancient Roman coins and allows the viewer to easily observe her graceful neck, blushed cheeks, and long eyelashes.  The artist vivifies the costumes of Antique sculpture, with a diaphanous blue-grey gown embroidered and cinched by gold bands.  His skilled use of light allows the mother-of-pearl buttons to gleam and glint; the material was used in both ancient Egypt and Greco-Roman society as a decorative element for clothing.  Despite the historically-inspired elements, there are hints of Godward's current era as well:  the model’s hair, set in waves, recalls styles then worn by the beautiful, chic women of Rome just beyond Godwad’s studio door.   

Vern Swanson considers the present work one of the artist's most beautiful portraits in profile — with the color harmonies particularly accomplished.