When The Heart Is Young 1902

"When The Heart Is Young" (1902) by John William Godward depicts a beautiful young woman reclining on a marble bench. The woman, draped in a flowing pink gown, rests her head on a leopard skin while her long, dark hair cascades over the furs. The woman's delicate features and melancholy expression, set against a background of lush greenery and a calm sea, evoke a sense of romantic longing and melancholic beauty. This painting is a prime example of Godward's signature style, known as "classical realism," which focused on recreating idealized scenes from ancient Greece and Rome.