By the Blue Ionian Sea 1916

John William Godward made this painting of a woman by the sea, probably in the late 19th or early 20th century, with oil on canvas. The artist used a smooth and precise technique, carefully blending colors to create a polished surface. It’s very different from how I make a painting! The way Godward has handled paint gives the piece a certain feel. The colors are vibrant and romantic. Look at the drapery, it’s almost translucent. You can see how the red of her dress shifts in the light. It seems like he's really interested in how color and light interact. Also check out the skin of the animal she’s draped on. It's so realistically rendered. There's something interesting in the way the folds of her green sash seem to mimic the waves of the sea behind her. It’s like Godward is trying to tie everything together. His work seems connected to artists like Lawrence Alma-Tadema, who also painted scenes of classical beauty. Art is always a conversation, right?