ARC ARTicles - J.W. Godward: the Eclipse of Classicism - Vern Grosvenor Swanson, Phd

	Part One: 5. The Artist's Debut (1887-1888)

ODWARD'S RIVETED INTEREST IN CLASSICAL-SUBJECT GENRE, owes much to his second-hand acquaintance with the Olympian masters of Lison Grove, St. John's Wood.⁶⁴ He also must have known some of the Bolton Studio artists before the 1887 date. His introduction to Greco-Roman subject painting and artists certainly came through seeing their work at the Royal Academy or RBA.

Godward's debut year of 1887 saw his first accepted entry into the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition at Burlington House in London. Undoubtedly urged on by Wontner and his future colleagues at the Bolton Studios, he entered his painting, A Yellow Turban. We do not know if he had earlier submitted any pictures which had been rejected. We know that A Yellow Turban was the first to be accepted, though it attracted little attention. Numbered 721 in the catalogue, it drew no mention from Henry Blackburn's Academy Notes, nor from Art Journal reviews of the show. We are unable to ascertain if it was an Orientalist picture, given its title and Godward's closeness to Wontner, it might have had eastern overtones.

Phyleis
Oil on canvas, 1908
96.5 x 56 cm

For the nervous Godward it meant acceptance as a real artist. Given the veritable hostility of his parents toward his choice of career, Godward could now pursue his chosen endeavor. The family heritage was built upon the middle class value of achievement, and with his success at the RA he had cleared one hurdle in alleviating their disdain. Perhaps to satisfy the need for family acceptance or instigation from his art dealers he continued to exhibit with the Royal Academy until 1905.

The first documented Greco-Roman work by J. W. Godward is Poppea from 1887. It lies within the time frame of Wontner's move to St. John's Wood and just earlier than Godward's move to the Bolton Studios. A number of classical-subject pictures are attributed to Godward before this period, but most of these are given an 1886 date.⁶⁵ It is possible that Godward painted Greco-Roman content in his pictures before 1886.

With his oil, Poppaea, Godward becomes an exhibitor at the Royal Society of British Artists [RBA] in Suffolk Street during their Winter Exhibition of 1887-88.⁶⁶ This group was founded in 1824 by a rebel group of artists including Benjamin R. Haydon, John Martin, John Glover and Thomas Heaphy. Though founded as a radical alternative to the Royal Academy, by the 1880's it was a largely moribund and staid institution. The services of James McNeill Whistler was enlisted as president in 1886 to widen the aesthetic scope of its membership and exhibitions.⁶⁷ It became "Royal" in 1887 under the presidency of Whistler.

Probably Godward was introduced to Whistler and the RBA through his models, the "Sisters Pettigrew." They were the leading artist's models of their day and included; Harriet (1867- ), Lilian (1870- ) and Rose (1872- ). Their family came from the West Country. Their father, Joseph had died leaving them destitute and relying upon their mother's needlework. Because of their beauty and distinctive Pre-Raphaelite look a local artist assured their mother that they could make their fortunes as models. Thus she brought them to London in 1884. There they became the most noted models in London.

They posed for John Everett Millais' painting An Idyll of 1745 (Lady Lever Art Gallery, Port Sunlight), exhibited at the Royal Academy that year. According to J. E. Millais, they gave his father "more trouble than any [models] he ever had to deal with. They were three little gypsies ... and with the characteristic carelessness of their race, they just came when they liked, and only smiled benignly when lectured on their lack of punctuality."⁶⁸

Although the Pettigrews were certainly at least partly of gypsy descent, Rose chose to paint a rather different picture when she wrote some autobiographical notes in the 1940's, emphasizing her family's aristocratic connections with 'the Mount Edgecomes of Cornwall' and describes the happy relations which she and her sisters enjoyed with Millais, "we were all in love with him."

Other artists vied for their services. They were models to James A. McNeill Whistler, John Singer Sargent, Edward John Poynter and Theo Roussel. Rose Pettigrew noted in her biography:⁶⁹

We posed to every great artist in the land, Whistler, Poynter, Onslow Ford (who was as dear to us as Millais), Leighton, whom I never admired as an artist, Holman Hunt, Princep [sic], Gilbert, John Tweed to whom my sister Hetty became engaged, Sargent, etc., in fact we became the rage among the artists, and it was most difficult to get sittings from us; many of them tried to bribe us, but we were too proud to have anything to do with bribery. Every exhibition had a picture of at least one of the "beautiful Miss Pettigrews," as we were called ... We never, never posed for under half a guinea a day, which was a big sum in those days of cheapness.⁷⁰

There were portraits painted by Godward of Hetty, Lily and Rose of c.1887. Rose Pettigrew even mentioned owning a Godward picture.⁷¹ This portrait was probably Lily painted about 1888. According to Rose Pettigrew, Lily was the most beautiful of the three girls, "My sister Lily was lovely," she wrote, "She had [the] most beautiful curly red gold hair, violet eyes, a beautiful mouth, classic nose and beautifully shaped face, long neck, well set, and a most exquisite figure; in fact, she was perfection."⁷² They also modeled for Philip Wilson Steer (1860-1942) as well. Rose even became engaged to Steer in the mid 1890's. It was possible that Steer knew Godward through the Pettigrews.

In an attempt to broaden the perspective of the RBA, Whistler brought into the ailing organization fresh young talent. In Godward, Whistler probably saw the makings of an Aesthetic painter, after the fashion of Joseph Albert Moore. It quickly became obvious to all, however, that this was not the case. Godward's bourgeois dream, a la Tadema, did not mesh with the direction Whistler saw for the RBA and the two simply lost interest in each other's vision. Whistler's revolution lasted only two years, then the RBA panicked and dismissed him in 1888. Two years later, in 1890, the RBA officially elected Godward a member of their organization.⁷³

Godward only exhibited three other pictures at the RBA, including Threissa in 1888, A Reverie in 1890-91 and A Lone Maid in 1892. Why he becomes involved with the RBA in the first place, probably rested in the encouragement of the Pettigrew sisters, Whistler and as always in his youth, family acceptance. He was possibly enamored with the newborn conservative spirit of the organization after the dismissal of Whistler - and like any other young painter, sought for artistic recognition.

A Classical Beauty

The earliest known reproduction of an authentic Godward is his graceful, Expectation of 1887-88. The artist has already found most of the prescriptions that carried him through his career. A classical maiden stands beside a marble bas-relief of Cupid, symbolizing the immediate rendezvous with her lover. A marble exedra with dizzyingly plunging stairs and view of the Mediterranean reflects the artist's influence from Alma-Tadema.

The next year, 1888, saw the artist exhibiting his oil, Ianthe in the Royal Academy's Summer Exhibition in May. This was also Godward's first known painting to be placed with a sales gallery of note. The major art dealer, Arthur Tooth ( -1900) probably saw the painting at the RA exhibition and realized the potential of the artist. He contacted Godward for inclusion into his own Winter Show of 1888.

Perhaps the finest known painting of 1888 was his Alma-Tademaesque The Engagement Ring. The mosaic floor and draped doorway leading to a marble balcony overlooking the Mediterranean was a compositional device often used by Tadema at this time. It too was among Godward's first known painting to be placed with Messrs. Arthur Tooth and Sons of 5-6 Haymarket Street.⁷⁴ The Engagement Ring was one of an eventual ten oils exhibited by Arthur Tooth before the artist finally settled you another West End dealer.

That dealer was, Messrs. Thomas Miller McLean ( -1909) of No.7 Haymarket Street, London SW, just next door to Arthur Tooth! Both premises were just south of the Theatre Royal Haymarket.⁷⁵ Just above the gallery awning was placed the Royal family crest. In that day Haymarket was an important area for the fine art trade. Today, however, it plays a secondary role to the New Bond Street and St. James area.

The McLean letterhead notes, "McLEAN PUBLISHER & PRINTSELLER" was "ESTd 1811" and were "Next door to the Haymarket Theatre."⁷⁶ The firm had been established by the twenty-three year old Thomas M'Lean (1788-1875) in 1811. He was a publisher of engravings, who settled at No. 69 Haymarket in 1825.⁷⁷ He retired in favor of his eldest son, Thomas Miller McLean, who changed the firm's direction toward fine art originals as well as maintaining a print publishing and selling position.

Thomas M. McLean and a silent partner were notable in the London art market from about 1864.⁷⁸ At that time he began a series of annual fine art exhibitions. They were successful in selling high-end official artists of their day as well as old masters. Thomas M. McLean often sold Alma-Tadema and E. J. Poynter paintings at their gallery, including many other 19th century academic and naturalist painters.

Godward's creativity never slackened the next year. In addition to his regular annual exhibition, Thomas McLean had a "Winter Exhibition" which often featured smaller works of art. For McLean's 1888-89 Winter showing, the artist entered his diminutive oils, Waiting for the Dance and The Tiff (1888). These were the first of hundreds of oils by Godward that Messrs. T. M. McLean would deal throughout the artist's career.

McLean eventually won the rights to be Godward's art dealer after a brief skirmish with Arthur Tooth. Even though Tooth may have possessed greater fame at the time, McLean probably showed more interest in the artist. It is possible that Tooth was distracted by Alma-Tadema, his "Classical" artist and there might have been some friction in handling the younger artist's work.⁷⁹

Godward, in tandem with W. C. Wontner, entered and was accepted at the Birmingham Royal Society of Artists, Autumn Exhibition of 1888. His oil, Flo was actually priced in the RBA catalogue at £18 18s, a relatively good price for the young artist. Of course we don't know if the painting actually sold. The years of 1887-88 were of utmost importance to the young artist. Those years saw Godward strike for independence from his family, exchanging it for acceptance into the artistic community.

	PART ONE: 6. The Bolton Studios (1888-1889)

HILE STILL LIVING AT THE NO. 7 WILTON WIMBLEDON ADDRESS, Godward seems to have taken the first timid steps toward breaking the chains binding him to his parents. He was now a bachelor of twenty-six, trying to find his own way toward independence from the cloying and suffocating family bonds. After his success at the Royal Academy he felt secure enough to take an atelier at No. 19 Bolton Studios, Redcliffe and Gilston Roads, Kensington in the later part of 1887.⁸⁰

Giles Walkley apprises us "that Maurice Greiffenhagen (another later NW8 resident) was one of the first occupants of No.19."⁸¹ Greiffenhagen (1862-1931) was a painter and illustrator in a late Pre-Raphaelite style of classical and literary subjects. The claustrophobic No. 19 was probably a starter studio for young artists like Greiffenhagen and Godward. They were rather small studios suitable as working not living quarters. Godward was obliged to sleep on the floor, or with friends. On some occasions he probably returned home, to Wimbledon for clean clothing and cooked food.

These strangely hidden away studios were began in 1883 and by 1888 the number had grown to twenty. The next year five artists studios were added and by 1890 there were twenty-seven studios altogether.⁸² Both Godward and the painter, Henry Ryland (1856-1924) moved into a newly built studios, constructed in 1887-88. Thus one could conjecture that they had been on a waiting list.⁸³ Each studio was accessible only from the corridor, so each occupant would inevitably have met others working there.

The Bolton Studios formed a hot-bed for classical artists in the area. Most of the renting artists were a few years older than Godward himself. It was there that he connects with a number of fellow classical-subject painters, such as: George Morton, Henry Ryland, Charles Irvine Bacon, Thomas B. Kennington, St. George Hare, George Lawrence Bulleid, Ernest W. Appleby and John Cooke.⁸⁴ The famous Post-Impressionist painter, Théodore Roussel (1847-1926) also worked in the No. 12 studio at this time.

Godward's studio mate in No.19 was John Henry Smith (exh.1880-1915), a genre, figurative, animal and landscape painter of little note. Smith had been exhibiting since 1882 and seems to have been fairly successful by the time Godward met him. While these artists were little known at that time most had exhibited in the RA, RI, ROI, RWS, GG, NG, BI, BBI or RBA and had already begun their long careers in the fine arts.⁸⁵ For the twenty-six year old artist this must have been heady stuff.

It is interesting to note that nearly 40% of the studios were filled by women.⁸⁶ Many of these lady artists were not noted in any art directories. Typical of the chauvinism of that and this day was the rumor, "that not all the Edwardian lady residents earned a living by the brush alone."⁸⁷

By this time our artist had already found his artistic direc-tion. Yet the influence that Ryland, Bulleid, Godward and other Boltonites had on one other was seminal in their artistic growth.⁸⁸ It seems that Godward and Ryland preceded Bulleid to the Bolton Studios by nearly a year. It is possible that they beckoned him to these premises and that they all inspired each other. "Schools," Walkley writes, "it goes without saying, were the nurseries of friendships and ideological factions."⁸⁹

A Grecian Girl
Oil on canvas, 1908
94.6 cm diameter

Godward, initially, may have been drawn to the Bolton Studios by Henry Ryland (1856-1924), the painter, watercolourist, decorator and designer. He was probably acquainted with Ryland before his move into the studio in 1887-88. By 1881 Ryland had a studio at 95a Clifton Hill Studios in NW8. In those studios he had the companionship of the Classical artists, Sigismund Goetz and Bernard E. Ward. After Ryland left Bolton Studios, we find him at Pembroke Studios W8, where we also find Classical painters, Oswald Von Glehn, Herbert J. Draper and the sculptor, Alfred Sassoon. Sasson was also a Bolton Studios artist.

Ryland was five years older and had already exhibited classical-subject pieces, not unlike early Godward pictures. While Godward and Bulleid, were quite reserved, Ryland seems more outgoing and socially engaged. Ryland had studied under Benjamin-Constant, Gustave Boulanger, Jules Lefevbre and Ferdinand Cormon in Paris but it was Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema's paintings which captured his imagination.⁹⁰ His work successfully blends classical-subject painting with the Pre-Raphaelite and Aesthetic movements. In this sense his work seems vaguely reminiscent of A. F. A. Sandys. Like Godward and Bulleid his favourite subject was of classical maidens on marble terraces.

It was not until 1898, forty-two years into his life, that Ryland was elected to the RI [Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours]. Shy Godward became an elected member of the RBA by the age of twenty-nine and Bulleid was elected an associate of the RWS at thirty-one. But Ryland, like Bulleid, became much more active than Godward in exhibiting throughout his career, showing 137 pieces at the RI in London. Ultimately his work developed more closely along the lines of Bulleid than Godward. But at the moment of contact in 1887-90, these three reinforced one another's aesthetic inclinations.

George Lawrence Bulleid (1858-1933) was born in Glastonbury, the son of a solicitor. He went into his father's profession in 1881, then studied at West London School of Art and afterwards at Heatherley's.⁹¹ His family loved early British archaeology, which also infected him. While he never painted much in this thematic area, the erudition of the past was passed on to him.

Quite early in his career, in 1889, he became an Associate of the Royal Water Colour Society. Though his work was always appreciated and he was quite active, exhibiting 113 pieces over the years, he was never elevated beyond associate status. He moved to Bath, by 1890 and spent the rest of his career quietly working at his Greco-Roman and late floral pictures.

His relationship with Godward was defined by the Bolton Studios during the 1888-89 period. Examination of his early work, shows that classical-subject themes had already permeated his oeuvre, but that his contact with Godward was seminal in his early work. During the late 1880's their art was more closely aligned than it would be in the 1890's. Bulleid often painted multifigured composition, consisting of two or three figures. Godward did, as well, in the 1880's but not thereafter. Both were quiet men, not given to 'high maintenance' friendships.

Both artists painted with a "graceful tranquility" about them.⁹² No other artists painted as closely along the lines of Godward than did Bulleid. At the same time Bulleid came to the studios, the Art Journal reviewed one of his paintings, An Offering by Apollo in terms that sounded very much like Godward's:

G. L. Bulleid, whose skill in rendering marble in watercolour has secured him election to the Society of Watercolour Painters. His work, however, appears still to border on the apprenticeship stage, and to lack vigour, decision, and originality. Note how the marble column seems semicircular, and to be fastened against the marble background.⁹³

The trio, Bulleid, Ryland and Godward certainly solidified each others artistic bent and projected them along similar artistic paths. W. Anstey Dollond (1858-1929) was then living at the time at 42 Bishops Terrace in the Fulham Palace Road area. It was not that these artists were considered great in their day. The retiring Godward probably felt more comfortable than awe-inspired around them. However, Christopher Wood, like Joseph Kestner, would paint these and other artists with a broad and negative brush:

It is among the minor followers of Alma-Tadema that the classical ideal is reduced to its lowest level of banality. It is hardly worth listing all of these 'painters of the patio' as one Victorian critic described them, because their pictures follow a repetitive formula -- girls in vaguely classical robes on terraces, or in gardens, engaged in entirely frivolous occupations involving courtship, animals and flowers. Henry Ryland, W. Anstey Dollond, Oliver Rhys, Norman Prescott-Davies, George Bulleid and William Stephen Coleman were some of the better practitioners of this 'toga and terrace' school, or as the Americans more succinctly describe it, the 'marble school' ... Another favourite recipe was the picture of an attractive female model, clothed in vaguely classical or exotic robes, posed against a marble wall. There were many practitioners of this genre too, notably W. C. Wontner.⁹⁴

Whereas Wm. Clarke Wontner painted his figures as contemporary English women in Greco-Orientalist dress, Godward was intent upon a truer Classical presentation by using Italian models. In one of Messrs. Waterhouse and Dodd's catalogues they were described alternately as "true English roses" and the "the Greco-West Kensington type."⁹⁵ While true of Wontner this was not the case with Godward.

Godward carefully selected relatively few models, and except for an occasional portraits of contemporary women in classical dress and the use of the Pettigrew sisters, he relied solely upon Italian models. In fact Italian models were readily available and used by Godward. Giles writes, "Whole families of handsome Italians were said to live in West Kensington surviving on an ability to represent contadini and ancient Romans."⁹⁶

Other minor artists of the period, slightly older than Godward, working in his vein include: Walter Blackman (1847-1928), Oliver Rhys (fl.1876-1897) and William Oliver (exh.1881-1897). Their work may have exerted some influence over Godward during his formative years. Their influence came by their youthful enthusiasm for the genre, not because they were accomplished masters like Tadema. They were in the same boat as Godward, only a little ahead of him in their careers. Eventually they would all suffer the same fateful artistic eclipse as Godward.