The Sweet Siesta of a Summer Day by John William Godward

The Sweet Siesta of a Summer Day - John William Godward - Fine Art Canvas Wall Art

At a Glance

Upgrade your walls with The Sweet Siesta of a Summer Day - John William Godward - Fine Art Canvas Wall Art. Every fine art reproduction is painted entirely by hand, so the surface carries the depth and variation of an original oil painting rather than the flatness of a digital canvas print.

Composition & Subject

1891
Oil on canvas
Private Collection.

The inspiration for The Sweet Siesta of a Summer Day comes from Lord Byron’s poem The Island (1823), specifically canto II, section VI:

“And sweetly now those untaught melodies
Broke the luxurious silence of the skies,
The sweet siesta of a summer day,
The tropic afternoon of Toobonai,
When every flower was bloom, and air was balm,
And the first breath began to stir the palm.”

One of Byron’s last major works, The Island describes a fictional, paradisiacal place called Toobonai where there is no class system or division of property. Much like the utopia of Byron’s fantasy, the settings of John William Godward’s paintings are far removed from the trials of the modern world. In this sophisticated and complex composition, a classical beauty in a diaphanous cerulean stola lounges gracefully on a marble bench, indifferent to a smoking Mount Vesuvius visible in the distant summer haze. The second figure plays a classical Greek double flute or aulos. The warm, vivid hues of the Pompeiian interior's frescoed walls contrast with the cool marble and the serene azure vista beyond the arbor. It is a scene of idyllic beauty and pensive idleness.

Sweet Siesta features many of the aesthetic qualities that defined Godward’s oeuvre. Like his contemporary Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (see lot 38), he had a passion for antiquity. Godward rose to fame during the height of the Victorian obsession with the classical world, fueled by recent archaeological discoveries that would influence the fine and decorative arts. Careful study granted Godward an impressive technical execution of each element in his compositions, the present example being one of the more highly detailed compositions by the artist. In what he has imagined as the home of a wealthy Pompeiian family, Godward includes Greek and Roman objects, meticulously and accurately represented, drawn from a personal collection or seen in public collections. To the left is a Roman bronze brazier or food warmer, based on one discovered at Pompeii. Atop the pavonazzetto marble table with lion-griffin supports (inspired by one belonging to the house of Cornelius Rufus in Pompeii), is a ribbed green glass bowl and other Roman glass vessels of common forms. The Roman bronze candelabrum featuring a sphinx motif is also from Pompeii, though the klismos chair beneath it is classical Greek (such chairs were often illustrated on Greek pottery and grave steles, see fig. 1). The bronze portrait head on a marble herm pillar is based on that of Lucius Caecilius lucundus, a wealthy banker from Pompeii, which is now in the National Museum in Naples and appears in numerous other compositions by the artist (fig. 2), as does the opulent tiger skin rug. In this combination of real and imagined elements, Sweet Siesta is both an idyllic fantasy and an homage to the classical past.

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 an entryway.

Materials & Craftsmanship

This is a genuine hand painted oil painting, not a canvas print. Our painters match the palette of The Sweet Siesta of a Summer Day by eye and build up the fine art forms in thin layers, which is what gives the finished fine art oil painting its luminosity.

What Is Included

• 100% hand-painted oil painting on artist-grade canvas — never a print or digital reproduction.
• Edges include an additional 2-inch blank allowance, ideal for gallery wrapping or framing.
• Direct-from-studio worldwide delivery with no third-party resellers.
• Available canvas sizes for this hand painted oil painting: 30 X 40 in, 36 X 48 in, 48 X 72 in.
• Custom canvas dimensions are welcome for this fine art oil painting.
• Affordable delivery options via DHL, UPS, FedEx, USPS and more.
• Free canvas stretching on wooden stretcher bars; custom framing available on request.
• A digital photo of your finished painting is emailed for approval before shipment.

Wall Decor & Gifting

Hang this fine art oil painting above a sofa, console, or bed to give an entryway an instant focal point. Its timeless palette works with both minimalist and period interiors, and the piece also makes a considered gift for housewarmings, weddings, and art lovers.

Ordering & Peace of Mind

Order The Sweet Siesta of a Summer Day as a hand painted oil painting on canvas and add lasting timeless character to your entryway. Custom sizes, a digital proof before dispatch, and secure worldwide shipping are included.