Tender Thoughts 1917

John William Godward made "Tender Thoughts" in oil, sometime around the turn of the 20th century, and what strikes me is his commitment to a particular kind of finish – a certain smoothness. Look at the way the fabric of her dress pools around her feet, how the paint seems to mimic the very texture it represents. You can almost feel the weight and drape of the material. There’s something almost hypnotic about the way the light catches the folds, pulling you in. It reminds me of how artists like Alma Tadema would build up layer upon layer of pigment, almost erasing any trace of the brush, and that's the tradition Godward is working in here. When I look at this I see a lot of art historical traditions coming together and being remade into something new and quite captivating.