In the Tepidarium 1913

John William Godward

Contemporary-Art.org
Keywords: Tepidarium

Work Overview

IN THE TEPIDARIUM
John William Godward
signed and dated J.W. Godward 1913 upper right; titled, signed and dated on the reverse
oil on canvas
100 by 50 cm., 39½ by 19¾in.


Undraped nudes are rare in Godward's oeuvre. In this exceptional example, the delicate flesh tones are offset against a virtuoso display of technique in saturated gemstone-like colours. Evidence of his skill as a draftsman is everywhere, notably in the lines of the receding and uneven tesserae. In addition to the unconventional model's nudity, In the Tepidarium is one of the few paintings Godward painted indoors in a thermae, an ancient Roman bath.