John William Godward is considered among the most important and influential Neoclassical artists of all time. This extraordinary, recently discovered oil on canvas, entitled Cynthia, showcases the remarkable skill of this great master at the very height of his career. Beautifully rendered with Godward's signature technical perfection, the piece embodies the sensual, graceful languor that permeates his greatest works.

Godward's career was devoted to these portrayals of women within classical settings — usually dark-haired beauties draped in diaphanous fabrics. However, this work is a rarity within his oeuvre with its dramatically dark, draped background used in lieu of the artist's typical marble columns or views of the Ionian coast. Within this perfectly composed world, Godward heightens the inherent sensuality of his subject through a masterful use of contrast. The vivid, jewel-like tones of her flowing tunic seem especially rich as they fall over her smooth, tanned skin, and these colors are echoed in the rich red ribbons in her elaborately braided hair, which appears soft to the touch thanks to Godward's minute rendering of each individual hair. It is these subtle, yet alluring details that demonstrate Godward's genius as an artist.

Raised in Wimbledon, Godward debuted at London’s Royal Academy exhibition in 1887. By the subsequent decade, the burgeoning artist was on a steady ascent to artistic success. Having fallen under the influence of British Neoclassical Revivalists Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Lord Frederic Leighton and Sir Edward John Poynter, Godward quickly adopted, if not rivaled, their style. He envisioned similar scenes of the ancient world, seamlessly blending antiquity and beauty in breathtaking compositions. The sensuality and mystery of Godward’s maidens, combined with his impressive antique backdrops, attracted fans across Europe and sent Godward on a rapid ascent to artistic stardom. In 1889, he was elected to the Royal Society of British Artists. Ten years later Godward debuted at the Parisian Salon of 1899, where again he was heaped with praise. In the early years of the 20th century, however, Godward was faced with the painful reality that the classical world he so loved was being overshadowed by modern art movements. He moved to Rome in 1912 to surround himself with the physical remnants of the classical world, and there he stayed for the major part of his remaining career.

Dated 1902

Canvas: 22“ high x 18” wide
Frame: 27” high x 23” wide

Provenance:
With Ernest T.H. Bennett, London, February 1930
Private collection, circa 1950-60, and thence by descent.
M.S. Rau, New Orleans