JOHN WILLIAM GODWARD, R.B.A. (BRITISH, 1861-1922)

This work by John William Godward presents a young Roman woman in the foreground, sitting on a tigerskin, contemplating her relationship with her lover, who is seen leaving through the archway beyond.

John William Godward belonged to the second generation of classical painters who followed in the footsteps of Frederic, Lord Leighton and Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema and is now recognised as one of the major neo-classicists, a painter of considerable technical skill with an immediately recognisable aesthetic. This is evidenced in the many contrasting textures in the painting, which showcase the artist's skill.