In The Grove Of The Temple Of Isis
“In The Grove Of The Temple Of Isis” by the British artist John William Godward (1861 – 1922) captures an idyllic and timeless moment that transports the viewer to an ancient, classical world. Known for his expertise in depicting the serene beauty of women, classical architecture, and lush landscapes, Godward presents an image filled with grace and elegance. Godward was a prominent figure in the Neo-Classical movement, a style which focused on the revival of ancient Greek and Roman ideals, yet with an air of romanticism. This particular work, executed at the peak of his career in 1915, continues to reflect his admiration for the classical world while showcasing his mastery over texture, color, and form.
The painting features a woman poised in the shadows of a grove within the ruins of a temple dedicated to Isis, the ancient Egyptian goddess associated with fertility, magic, and motherhood. The backdrop of the temple ruins suggests the faded grandeur of antiquity, contrasting with the vibrant and alive portrayal of the woman. This juxtaposition between the lifeless stones of the temple and the youthful energy of the female figure is a testament to Godward’s ability to capture the passage of time while simultaneously celebrating beauty and vitality.
Table of Contents
The Subject: The Woman in the Grove
The central subject of Godward’s piece is a young woman draped in flowing classical attire, reminiscent of the Greco-Roman style. Her rich, layered robes of indigo and yellow silk cascade down her figure with an intricate sense of movement. The contrast between the dark purple of the gown and the bright golden hue of the sash offers a rich, luxurious color palette that highlights the sensuality of the fabric as it clings to the woman’s curves. The light catches the delicate folds of her clothing, which seem to shimmer, as though alive with movement. Her posture, elegant yet relaxed, reflects the calm nature of the classical world that Godward is known for capturing in his works.
The woman’s face, turned slightly toward the viewer, reveals a serene expression. Her features are finely sculpted, emphasizing the idealized beauty of women that was characteristic of Godward’s style. The small details such as her jewelry, a simple, yet elegant necklace, add to the sense of wealth and refinement. Her dark hair, pulled back and adorned with a red ribbon, complements the surrounding landscape and further enforces the sense of timeless grace. The woman appears absorbed in her surroundings, her gaze cast slightly down as if contemplating the ancient temple behind her, or perhaps reflecting on the mysteries of the past.
In her hands, she holds a tambourine, which further connects her to the ritualistic and ceremonial life of the ancient world. This instrument, often associated with divine and sacred practices, hints at the religious or ritualistic theme of the painting, aligning with the temple’s association with Isis. The tambourine may also symbolize a connection to music and dance, which were intrinsic to the worship practices in ancient temples.
The Temple and The Setting
The painting’s background is dominated by the crumbling remnants of a classical temple, half-obscured by lush foliage. This juxtaposition between the temple ruins and the living woman symbolizes the enduring spirit of beauty amid the passing of time. The ruins, which likely once formed part of a grand structure dedicated to Isis, appear weathered and aged, with portions of the stonework barely visible through the verdant overgrowth. This setting evokes the passage of centuries, with nature slowly overtaking human creations, but it also serves as a reminder of the power and grandeur of the ancient world.
Flanking the temple ruins are flowering trees, their pink blossoms in full bloom, creating a stark contrast to the ancient stone. The lush, almost dreamlike vegetation hints at a warm, Mediterranean climate, further connecting the work to the romanticized vision of antiquity. The flowers introduce a note of vitality, which not only enhances the visual beauty of the piece but also suggests the cyclical nature of life, with the blooming trees offering a sense of renewal in contrast to the decay of the temple. The light, soft blues and greens of the distant landscape hint at the calm, peaceful existence of the classical world, a world where nature and humanity lived in harmony.
Materials and Technique
Godward’s technique is characterized by meticulous attention to detail, as evidenced in every brushstroke of the fabric, the woman’s skin, and the architecture. The use of oil paints gives the piece its depth and richness, allowing Godward to play with texture and light to create an almost photographic realism. The smooth finish of the woman’s skin contrasts with the rough texture of the stone, while the translucent quality of her clothing enhances the softness of her form. Godward’s handling of light in the composition is another striking feature; the sunlight filtering through the trees highlights the contours of the woman’s face and body, while also casting soft shadows that create a sense of depth and realism.
The Mood and Themes
The overall mood of the painting is one of serenity and tranquility. The woman’s calm demeanor and poised stance convey a sense of peace, as though she is at one with the ancient world surrounding her. This peacefulness is further emphasized by the gentle presence of nature, with the flowering trees and soft landscape inviting contemplation and reflection. The colors, primarily rich purples, golds, and greens, create a harmonious balance that evokes a sense of timeless beauty and quietude.
Thematically, the painting touches on the idealization of ancient cultures, particularly those of Egypt and Rome, and the reverence for beauty that characterized the Neo-Classical movement. Godward’s ability to merge the ancient with the living, the mythological with the natural, brings forth an appreciation for the eternal aspects of culture and humanity. The temple ruins, the woman, and the natural landscape together create a narrative of past grandeur and present serenity, reminding the viewer that beauty endures beyond the physical.
In The Grove Of The Temple Of Isis is a remastered digital art old masters reproduction of a public domain image that is available as metal, acrylic and canvas prints online.
This digital art creation, as with all the artwork that can be found on the Xzendor7 website is available for purchase online in a variety of material formats including canvas prints, acrylic prints, metal prints, wood prints, framed prints, posters, and as rolled canvas prints in a variety of sizes from 12 inches to 72 inches depending on the size of the actual artwork and the print on demand shop you choose to buy the art from.
The artwork is also available on a broad range of men’s and women’s apparel, mugs, totes, scarfs, notebooks and journals and many home decor products.
Artist Bio
Info Below From Wikipedia.org
John William Godward was the eldest of five children, and was named after his father John and grandfather William.
He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1887. When he moved to Italy with one of his models in 1912, his family broke off all contact with him and even cut his image from family pictures. Godward returned to England in 1921, died in 1922, and is buried in Brompton Cemetery, West London.
One of his best-known paintings is Dolce far Niente (1904), which was purchased for the collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber in 1995. As in the case of several other paintings, Godward painted more than one version; in this case, an earlier (and less well-known) 1897 version with a further 1906 version.
He committed suicide at the age of 61 and is said to have written in his suicide note that “the world is not big enough for [both] myself and a Picasso”.
His estranged family, who had disapproved of his becoming an artist, were ashamed of his suicide and burned his papers. Only one photograph of Godward is known to survive.
Godward was a Victorian Neo-Classicist, and therefore, in theory, a follower of Frederic Leighton. However, he is more closely allied stylistically to Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, with whom he shared a penchant for the rendering of Classical architecture – in particular, static landscape features constructed from marble.
The vast majority of Godward’s extant images feature women in classical dress posed against landscape features; although there are some semi-nude and fully nude figures included in his oeuvre, a notable example being “In The Tepidarium c1913”.
A title shared with a controversial Alma-Tadema painting of the same subject that resides in the “Lady Lever Art Gallery”. The titles reflect Godward’s source of inspiration; which was classical civilization, most notably that of Ancient Rome; a subject binding Godward closely to Alma-Tadema artistically.
Given that Classical scholarship was more widespread among the potential audience for his paintings during his lifetime than in the present day, meticulous research of detail was important in order to attain a standing as an artist in this genre.
Alma-Tadema was an archaeologist as well as a painter, who attended historical sites and collected artifacts he later used in his paintings: Godward, too, studied such details as architecture and dress, in order to ensure that his works bore the stamp of authenticity.
In addition, Godward painstakingly and meticulously rendered other important features in his paintings, animal skins of which the paintings “Noon Day Rest c1910” and “A Cool Retreat c1910” contains examples of such rendition as well as wildflowers “Nerissa c1906” and “Summer Flowers c1903”.
The appearance of beautiful women in studied poses in so many of Godward’s canvases causes many newcomers to his works to categorize him mistakenly as being Pre-Raphaelite, particularly as his palette is often a vibrantly colorful one. The choice of subject matter (ancient civilization versus, for example, Arthurian legend) is more properly that of the Victorian Neo-classicist.
In common with numerous painters contemporary with him, Godward was a ‘High Victorian Dreamer’, producing images of an idealized and romanticized world that, in the case of both Godward and Alma-Tadema, came to be criticized as a world-view of Victorians in togas.
Godward “quickly established a reputation for his paintings of young women in a classical setting and his ability to convey with sensitivity and technical mastery the feel of contrasting textures of flesh, marble, fur and fabrics.
Godward’s penchant for creating works of art set in the classical period probably came from the time period in which he was born; as it was the last full-scale classical revival in western paintings, that flourished in England from the 1860s up until the 1890s.
