l Dolce far Niente by John William Godward

l Dolce far Niente - John William Godward - Hand Painted Oil Painting

At a Glance

For collectors searching fine art oil painting, l Dolce far Niente is a dependable choice. Painted in layered oils on canvas after John William Godward, this vintage work reads equally well as classic canvas wall art and as a thoughtful housewarming gift.

The Story Behind the Painting

1893
Oil on canvas

'John William Godward was among the brightest stars of the late Graeco-Roman painters, during classicism's twilight and final extinguishing. Some believe he equalled Tadema in the depiction of marble...'
Vern Swanson, John William Godward - The Eclipse of Classicism, 1997, dustjacket

Il Dolce far Niente is the title given to at least eight of Godward’s paintings but is applicable to almost his entire oeuvre. Meaning ‘sweet idleness’ it captures the spirit of Godward’s idealist art in which languid beautiful women idle away their time in the sunlit gardens of Roman palaces, cool marble interiors and on terraces overlooking azure oceans. His world was one of carefree hedonism, of romantic liaisons beneath boughs of oleander and dreamy introspection.

Godward was particularly skilled at rendering textures and in Il Dolce far Niente he contrasted smooth cold marble with animal-skins, blushed living flesh with diaphanous robes. The model is of an unusually slender and pale type for Godward who preferred sitters with a more Mediterranean appearance. Whilst most of the other pictures from the early 1890s depict members of the Pettigrew family of artist’s models, the facial features of this young model are less angular. She is probably the same golden-haired girl who posed for Daydreams in 1893 (Paul Mellon Centre for British Art). In the early 1890s Godward was living at St Leonard’s Studio in Smith Street, Chelsea and would have had the pick of the artist models who frequented the many artist’s studios in that bohemian part of London. She certainly has the self-assured confidence of an experienced model, looking directly out of the picture with an expression of invitation. The languor of her pose contrasts with the angularity of the architecture.

In Il Dolce far Niente Godward used the compositional device of showing a glimpse of terrace through a portal and sunlit sea beyond, which he had used in earlier pictures such as Ianthe painted in 1888 and A Pompeian Lady of 1891. This seems to have been suggested by Godward’s study of the work of Alma-Tadema and is present in pictures such as Oleander of 1882 (private collection). The tiger-skin is also an element found in Alma-Tadema’s work as a symbol of luxury and exoticism. Tadema had various animal pelts in his studio to use as props for his paintings and it is likely that Godward also had examples in his studio as they appear frequently. Sculptural details in the picture reflect Godward’s interest in the archaeology of Greece and Rome and particularly the excavations of Pompeii which revealed brightly-coloured wall paintings like that of the female dancer seen in the panel to the left of the chair in the present picture. The figure of a warrior carved in a low-relief marble panel is similar to the Parthenon frieze and the bronze herm portrait also appears to have been based on an existing example, as it is in The Bouquet of 1898 and The Sweet Siesta of a Summer Day of 1891.

Our artists reproduce this fine art composition in oil on canvas by hand, preserving the tonal range that makes fine art oil painting so sought after for a living room.

How It Is Made

From primer to varnish, the work is done manually on artist-grade canvas. The absence of digital printing is deliberate: it keeps the fine art brushwork visible and gives the vintage oil painting wall decor a museum-like finish.

Specifications & What You Receive

• Every fine art canvas is hand painted in oils; no mechanical or digital reproduction at any stage.
• A generous 2-inch blank canvas border surrounds the image to simplify mounting.
• Studio-direct pricing and worldwide shipping on every fine art oil painting order.
• Available canvas sizes for this hand painted oil painting: 30 X 40 in, 36 X 48 in, 48 X 72 in.
• Any size you need can be produced — just tell us your preferred dimensions.
• Choose from DHL, UPS, FedEx, USPS and other competitively priced carriers.
• Complimentary stretching over wooden stretcher bars; ask us about a custom frame.
• Every order includes a pre-shipment digital preview for your approval.

Styling & Placement

As living room wall decor, this canvas brings color and texture without visual noise. It scales well from a small study to a large living room feature wall, and it is a reliable choice when shopping for fine art oil painting as a gift.

Delivery, Sizes & Guarantee

Whether the search term is fine art oil painting, living room wall decor, or vintage oil painting wall decor, this hand painted canvas delivers the same thing: a real painted surface, made to your chosen dimensions.