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Eurypyle - John William Godward - Fine Art Oil Painting is part of our hand painted oil painting collection from the John William Godward Paintings selection. Each canvas is worked by a trained artist, then inspected before dispatch — a practical route to owning heritage wall decor at a fraction of gallery pricing.
1921
Oil on canvas
49 x 29 1/2 in. (124.5 x 75 cm)
Unlike Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Frederic, Lord Leighton and Edward Poynter, whose half-length portraits of Grecian beauties almost always explicitly portray historical or mythological heroines, Godward's pictures are less formal and represent a classical type of idealized and dream-like feminine beauty. The present lot bears the title Eurypyle, which either refers to Euryale, a queen amongst the amazons (as Godward's catalogue raisonné suggests, p. 245) or to Eurypyle, daughter of Thespius and Megamede, who bore Heracles a son, Archedicus. The ambiguity is fitting and consistent with Godward's other works, but it is more likely that he presents this zaftig beauty in diaphanous dress as a sort of Venus or mother figure.
Regardless of specificity, Godward uses his subject as a showcase for his astonishing virtuosity with his materials. She stands in front of a wall of four masterfully rendered slabs of marble. This is Godward's preferred ground, earning him the handle: "the master of marble." He certainly uses it for its references to the classical period, but also for the undulating forms that marble presents and as an opportunity for an academic exploration of color. He has expertly painted a web of chromatic variations of gray, yellow, gold, green, umber and white, and effortlessly maintained a perceptibly neutral background for the subject herself. She, too, is an exquisite study of textures: warmth radiates from her face against the cold marble, which is matched by the soft crepe-like and translucent undulations of her gown, gathered in places while clinging to her body in others; the soft feathers of her fan contrast with its hard metal handle; all of the elements are grounded against the marble by an ethereal shadow that seems to dissolve in an omnipresent light.
As far as is known, Godward only produced five paintings in 1920, of which this is one, due to health concerns and the instability of his artistic residence. He was living in Rome at the Villa Strohl-Fern, which was becoming increasingly dilapidated and would prompt him to leave the sensual inspriation of Italy the following year, and return to his native England.
The fine art subject is rebuilt stroke by stroke in oil, giving the finished canvas the depth expected of heritage oil painting wall decor.
We use a 100% hand-painted process: stretched artist-grade canvas, layered oil pigment, and a final protective varnish. There are no inkjet prints or mechanical reproductions in this collection — just a painted fine art artwork made to order.
Build an entryway gallery wall around this fine art oil painting, or let it stand alone as a single statement. The hand painted canvas finish keeps the fine art composition looking intentional in both classic and contemporary rooms.
Whether the search term is fine art oil painting, entryway wall decor, or heritage oil painting wall decor, this hand painted canvas delivers the same thing: a real painted surface, made to your chosen dimensions.
| Size | Price |
|---|---|
| 20 X 24 in | $109.98 |
| 24 X 36 in | $167.98 |
| 30 X 40 in | $216.48 |
| 36 X 48 in | $292.98 |
| 48 X 72 in | $554.98 |
The sizes shown are the reproduction canvas sizes we paint to order. The dimensions given in a work's description refer to the original artwork and will differ from the sizes offered here. Not sure? Read the size guide or e-mail us.
Free on orders over $60; a flat $5 below that. Dispatched in 1–2 business days; 30 days to send it back. Full policy.
Every canvas is painted by hand in oils on artist-grade stretched canvas, with an extra blank border left for framing. How to care for your painting.
Measurements are on the size guide, or e-mail [email protected] and we reply within one business day.
