A Classical Lady 1908

John William Godward made this painting, "A Classical Lady," sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century, probably with oils on canvas. The classical world was a popular setting for artists at the time, and what strikes me is the way Godward’s painting handles the rendering of the woman's dress: it’s so smooth, almost glazed, with very little evidence of brushstrokes. If you look closely at the red folds of the dress and the way it is gathered, there is a sense of movement, but it is so, so controlled. Everything feels meticulously planned, from the pose to the color palette, dominated by reds and creams. She reminds me a little of Ingres, who had a similar hyper-real and idealized vision of the female form, but also someone like Alma-Tadema, another painter of classical scenes. All three really show us that art is about vision, and how different ways of seeing can completely transform our understanding of the world.