beside the easel

The Old Old Story, 1903 John William Godward was born on August 9, 1861 in London. Here was an artist at the end of the Neoclassical era, a disciple of Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, who had such deep respect for the Classical world, who would both research their works with strict attention to authentic architecture and costume, so much that decades later film directors used Tadema's paintings as visual reference and inspiration for their films. While Alma-Tadema's career was successful up until his later years, Godward unfortunately was too late. The Victorian Neoclassicism that England loved during the 1800's would eventually become obsolete from the transmogrification of art movements in the 20th century that challenged everything and anything that came before it. Tenets such as beauty and harmony suddenly became profane and old-fashioned, and art critics acceded to their modern thrones quick to denounce anyone who didn't follow their creeds. The world was changing f...