The New Perfume - John William Godward

A refined example of Academic Classicism by John William Godward, depicting a woman in a crimson robe within a classical interior.

John William Godward, a prominent figure in the late Victorian and Edwardian periods, produced this work in 1914. It belongs to the tradition of Academic Classicism, a style that prioritised technical precision, smooth surfaces, and the idealised depiction of classical antiquity. Godward spent much of his career in Italy, where he absorbed the aesthetic of the Mediterranean, often incorporating marble textures, Roman furniture, and diaphanous drapery into his compositions.

The painting depicts a woman in a sheer, crimson garment, standing beside a marble table supported by carved lion monopodia. She is engaged with a small vessel, presumably perfume, which she has retrieved from an inlaid wooden box. The artist demonstrates his technical ability through the rendering of varied textures: the translucent quality of the fabric, the veined marble of the floor and table, and the polished wood of the container. The colour palette is dominated by the contrast between the deep red of the dress and the cool, neutral tones of the architectural setting.

Godward was a contemporary of Lawrence Alma-Tadema, and both artists shared an interest in the domestic lives of ancient Roman citizens. Unlike the more narrative-driven works of his peers, Godward focused on the quiet, solitary moments of his subjects. His approach to light and shadow creates a sense of stillness, drawing the viewer into a private, staged environment. The composition is balanced, with the verticality of the figure echoed by the architectural elements in the background. This print captures the meticulous brushwork and the specific attention to material detail that defined Godward's output during the early twentieth century.