John William Godward, R.B.A.

Thomas McLean, London, 1900;
J. B. Bennett & Sons, Glasgow where purchased by family of the present owner c.1910 and thence by descent

McLean letter to Godward, dated 2 February 1900 (Milo-Turner collection);
Vern Grosvenor Swanson, John William Godward - The Eclipse of Classicism, 1997, p.203, cat.no.1900.9

STRUCTURE The painting appears to be in excellent original condition, unlined and ready to hang. ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT No signs of restoration. FRAME Glazed, in a Barbizon style frame.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Melissa is a remarkably beautiful painting that takes its title from a nymph of antiquity who taught the use of honey to Man and from whom the honey-bees took their name in Greek. The Greek Melissa was a daughter of the Cretan King Melissos and sister of Amaltheia. She and her sister nursed the infant Zeus and fed him with honey rather than milk. The Greek philosopher Porphyry stated that Melissa was a Priestess of Demeter and able to relieve the suffering of women during childbirth. The only allusion to Melissa's connection with bees or honey in Godward's painting is perhaps the girl's golden veil. She is seen in profile and rather than Godward's usual background of marble or ocean, here he created an ivy-clad wall suggesting that she is walking in a lush garden. The costume is similar to the robes worn by the maiden in Atalanta (one sold 13 November 2012, lot 13 and another sold Christie's, New York, 23 April 2012, lot 40) and Clymene of 1891 (Sotheby's, Belgravia, 15 June 1988, lot 213).

Melissa appears to depict the dark-haired model who posed for many of Godward's best work of the late 1890s, including Campaspe of 1896 (sold in these rooms, 14 December 2006, lot 127), The Pergola of 1898 (Manchester City Art Gallery), Idleness (sold in these rooms, 12 July 2007, lot 25) and Midday of 1900 (Manchester City Art Gallery). She had a beautiful rosy complexion and a mass of glossy black hair that fell in soft curls over her forehead. She had a Mediterranean appearance which suited Godward's paintings of Greek and Roman maidens in togas.

Godward painted these bust-length profile portraits of women throughout his career. His earliest known portrait was a watercolour profile of his grandmother Mary Perkinton Godward made circa 1880. This portrait was probably based on a silhouette and is rather formal and tentative but around 1882 Godward made a portrait of his sister Mary Frederica which is similar to his later profile studies of women. His series of idealised profile head studies began with Japonica c.1887 (sold Sotheby's, New York, 29 May 1980, lot 36) and throughout the 1880s and 1890s he painted many pictures of this type.

These half-length portraits of women, painted in a format known as 'Keepsake', were fashionable at the end of the nineteenth century and were painted by virtually every figurative painter. So popular were they that the Graphic magazine published several series of depictions of women in this format in the late 1880s. Although Melissa was not painted for this purpose, it reflects the vogue at this time for these types of picture.

We are grateful to Vern Swanson for his assistance with the cataloguing of this lot which will be included in his forthcoming monograph.