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| J.W. Godward: the Eclipse of Classicism, by Vern Grosvenor Swanson, Phd |
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Advertisements for "W. W. Sampson and Son" in The Year's Art from 1924 onward note his address as No.7 Haymarket, which was the same address as the old McLean/Cremetti Gallery. Presumably Sampson moved into these premises between late 1922 and early 1923. This coincides with the time when the McLean Galleries moved to the slightly less prestigious and presumable less expensive accommodations at No.11 Orange Street (sometimes called Lemon Street). By the time of this move from Haymarket Street to Orange Street, Eugene Cremetti leaves the art business altogether. Orange Street was just around the corner from No. 7 Haymarket, no more than a two minute walk. Interestingly, Godward's West End dealer, Eugene Cremetti soon bailed out of the art market within six months of the artist's death. His retirement in early 1923, maybe a coincidence but it all happened at the same time as Godward's death. Cremetti had been active in acquiring works by Godward on the secondary market. He had purchased at least eleven through auction since 1908, when he succeeded Thomas McLean. He did this to help support the JWG market and to acquire stock. Now on Friday the 1st of June 1923 he sells out at Christie's, owing to his retirement from the art business. He sold two Godward oils at this auction, one canvas entitled, Summer-Time of 1896 brought £33, while the other titled Contemplation, a rather large oil dated 1897 fetched only £39 18s. Cremetti had purchased this same painting at Christie's in 1920 for £135, which indicates how far the artist's prices had fallen in three short years. From this time forward Cremetti's name ceased to be associated with Godward. By 1927 and 1928 McLean Galleries had also ceased to be a real player in the London art market. Paul Eugene Cremetti succeeded his father in the business. We know that as late as 1927 Cremetti purchased a Corot for £1,850 a very high price at the time. As early as 1905 another London dealer, William Walker Sampson (1864- October 1929) then in partnership with Henry Ramus, began to advertise and offer J. W. Godward prints and originals. Sampson had begun his art trade career in 1887 and now self-styled himself as a "Wholesale Fine Art Dealer: The British Galleries" of 13 Air Street, Regent Street in London. W. W. Sampson & Son's specialty was selling "English and Continental Modern Art" to the trade rather than to private collectors. After the Godward's death Sampson begins to pay increased attention to the artist's work until his own death seven years later. Working almost exclusively with the auction market, Messrs. W. W. Sampson was called "champion of British Art at auction" in his obituary. He had been bidding on Godward paintings at Christie's since 1905. He had already purchased at least eighteen oils before his strong entry into the Godward market in 1924. That year and the next he wins bids on twelve more Godward paintings. About two-thirds of the auctioned paintings by Godward during this sinking market period were purchased by Sampson. "Bill" Sampson, as he was called, was eulogized profusely in The Daily Telegraph as the great savior of British art during difficult times. In fact nearly half of all late 19th century paintings auctioned in London during this period were acquired by Sampson! Such an amazing feat was made possible by virtue of his controlling "The Ring." Most of the paintings were then dispersed, in wholesale fashion, to other dealers at discount prices. Sampson was famous for being the "Ring-leader" of the London art cartel. The Ring consisted of a select number of insider art dealers. The principal of the ring was that dealers would not bid against each other, which would effectively force the auction price up. Individually these dealers let the Ring leader know of their interest in certain lots at Sotheby's or Christie's auction, which were often held on Friday. The Leader would then bid on these items, without interference from the other dealers in the Ring. Then, after the sale, he and other dealers would meet at a discreet place, most often at a nearby Pub where they conducted their own mini private auction. Forming a circle (ring) they held a private sale of the lots Sampson had acquired. The purchased items from the official catalogue are then considered, one at a time. Two techniques were used to acquire the pictures, the "knock-out" and the "knock-back." Say a painting by Godward was purchased by W. W. Sampson (Ring-Leader) and is now before the dealers of The Ring. Around the ring each dealer bids up to their interest level, round after round, until one wins the bid. Say the Christie's auction price on a Godward painting was £40. The difference between the paintings original purchase price and its eventual price in the mini auction would be shared between them in equal proportion to the number of bids each made. This was achieved in the following manner, say there were ten dealers in the group. They would stand in a circle and bid in clock-wise fashion. Each player would have anteed-in one pound increments for each round they were interested in bidding. As they dropped out the picture would go to the winning bidder. The Ring-Leader would note how far they had bid until there was just one person left and his final bid was, after four rounds, £100 for arguments sake. Instead of having to come-up with the entire amount of his bid, they would be liable for the original £40, plus paying out the rest of The Ring. The effect of this was that while he was willing to pay £100 for the painting it would only cost him about £90. The rest of The Ring would make a percentage of the extra £50, proportionate on how long they had stayed in the Ring. The Ring-Leader, would make money by being considered as a bidder until the end of the rounds, even though he placed no antes. Thus Sampson would have received his original £40 plus a small percentage on each lot. This was why so many lots appeared to be purchased by W. W. Sampson. Apparently he was left with all the more expensive lots and gradually overspent himself. The worldwide recession certainly contributed to his demise. When Sampson's Will was probated in March 1930, everything was left to his wife Meta Simeta and his art business to his son John "Jack" Sampson. Amazing for an art dealer whose exploits supposedly rivaled the famous Messrs. Ernest Gambart, W. W. Sampson left only £10 in his estate! It is gossiped that he drowned in his bathtub in Brighton, while heavily inebriated. A number of art dealers picked up on Godward's art over the years. During and after W. W. Sampson's time, came other interested dealers, including Messrs. Vicars Brothers and Thomas Wallis & Son, both of London. Perhaps the foremost of these was Messrs. Nathan Mitchell of Nos.2 & 4 Duke Street in St. James, London. They are known to have dealt in at least 23 Godward pictures between 1916 to 1950. Pictures of quality were sold by Mitchell, including, Innocent Amusements (1891), A Priestess (1893) and Marcella of 1912. It is likely that many more pictures passed through their hands, but the 1930's saw their most active interest in the artist. The French Gallery at 120 Pall Mall which was dissolved in 1917. One partner of the old French Gallery, who dealt with Godward paintings thereafter, was William Lawson Peacock on Duke Street in St. James, 23 Old Bond Street and also at Princes Street in Edinburgh. Peacock also specialized in Barbizon paintings and Old Masters until he died in 1921. This left his associates, Frederick C. Williams and another partner, H. A. Sutch, to carry-on Peacock's Gallery until the world recession caused it to dissolve in 1932. Williams, with his Son, Roland G., opened their own gallery in 1932 in Ryder Street, then after 1945 at 2 Grafton Street. Roland's eldest son, John, then joined the firm in 1959 and continued to buy and sell Godward paintings. The art market, up north, in Lancashire and Yorkshire must have collapsed totally, for work was being shunted to the more solvent London market. In Blackburn, Messrs. Richard Haworth sold Godward's work to the end of his life and over fourteen were sold by that firm between 1940-54. Haworth would certainly have been Godward's major non-London art dealer. Then in the Spa-town, Harrogate, Messrs. Frederic M. Evans of No.6 Parliament Street began dealing with Godward from 1905. Messrs. Henry J. Mullen dealt in Godward paintings to at least 1928. Pictures like Daphne (1908), Cynthia (1909), Lassitude (1910), Cassotis (1914) and Tender Thoughts (1918) were dealt by Mullen both in Harrogate and London. Messrs. H. & P. de Casseres of Harrogate and London were major players in the Godward market during the 1920's through 1940's. They dealt with at least seven, often in conjunction with Richard Haworth of Blackburn. Cooling Gallery on Abermarle Street modestly began selling Godward paintings in 1927 with Repose: a study an oil panel measuring only 9 by 7 inches. Through the years, especially during the 1950's, they sold over twenty-seven pictures by the artist. They sold Godward's into the 1982's when competition became too strong and they withdrew from the Godward market. The firm finally closed their doors during about 1990. Some of the more major pieces they handled include, A Cool Retreat (1919), At the Garden Door (1901) and Ionian Dancing Girl (1902). Percy Polak of King Street in St. James, first began to sell Godwards during the late 1940's until today. Over the years he sold at least thirteen oils. Among these paintings he dealt Godward's The sweet Siesta of a Summer Day (1891), Reflections (1902), and A Pompeeian Garden (1907). The latter he owned in partnership with Richard Green Fine Art. For Polak, however, Godward was a just another traditional artist for their conservative clientele. One of the major firms to enter the Godward market after Sampson's demise was Messrs. M. Newman on Duke Street in St. James. From February 1930 until February 1973, they bought and sold about thirty pictures by Godward. The bulk of these pictures were dealt during the 1940's. Most of their business was transacted through the "trade" rather than auctions or privately. During the lean years for Godward, Harrod's Department Store "Art Gallery" began to sell the artist's pictures at decorator prices. In fact between the 1940's and mid 60's, most of the major art dealers merely reassigned their Godward stock to Harrod's. Because of Harrod's high visibility and elite traffic they could sell his work more dearly and readily than at any of the dealers. This might account for the lack of pictures going to the auctions during this period. During the late 1960's to 1973, the old master dealers of Leger Gallery on Old Bond Street surfaced as the high profile dealer of Godward. This was surprising because of Stewart Leger's affinity for prestigious old masters of impeccable reputation. Godward's art had no cashier value, especially then. By the end of the 1970's Godward was quietly dropped and forgotten. With new management during the 1980's penitence was paid for this Godwardesque indiscretion by chiding the author for his lack of embarrassment for studying the work of such an obviously inferior artist. | |
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By the mid 1970's, a nouveau gauche dealer took up where Leger left off. Roy Miles Fine Paintings on Duke Street in St. James began to purchase and highly promote the artist. With showmanship, flair and lack of guilt, Miles began to establish Godward in the market. Whereas, Leger had always felt a bit sheepish about handling the work of Godward, Miles exalted in his "poppers." In colour catalogues, advertisements and flyers, Roy Miles proclaimed the artist's virtues. Jeremy Maas on Germyn Street also became an intelligent though minor player in the Godward market at this time. Though somewhat more interested in Orientalist and symbolist pictures, Adrian Mibus and David Hughes at the Louise Whitford Ltd in Belgravia added their considerable abilities to the rediscovery of John William Godward. From the late 1970's to early 80's they, with Green and Miles, were major players in Godward picture retailing.
What had been lacking in the presentation of the artist to the art buying public was the consistent hand by a eminent dealer. Because of Richard Green's considerable reputation in selling old masters, Impressionist and Post-Impressionist pictures to major Museums, his unfailing attention to Godward began to draw attention. Between 1976 and 1996 he had represented fifty-four paintings by John William Godward. Green's genius to 'discover' an art market while he 'rediscovered' the artist was uncanny. The future of J. W. Godward's market and reputation is assured because of several conditions. First, whatever level or degree of significance Godward has attained over the past decade it was without the benefit of a body of scholarly literature. Only colour reproduction, mostly in Richard Green's exhibition catalogues and in auction records, with little accompanying text, bolster him as an artist. This is most unusual because the formula has been consistent, that literature on an artist under-girds their market and reputation. With this book and other literature following it, this missing piece of the Godward puzzle will be complete. Beyond scholarly literature there is a 'Pop' culture for fine art reproductions. Godward is almost as popular among art collectors, artists and interior designers for framed prints as Alma-Tadema, Bouguereau, Lord Leighton and J. W. Waterhouse. A number of large poster reproductions sell in print and bookstores throughout Europe and America. Note cards, postcards and calendars also provide the unknowing public with smart images of J. W. Godward. All these impress the consciousness of the "amateur" with the image of Godward's classical maidens. Secondly, the 20th century is waning and we shall be into the a new millennia. We will then be out of this "Dionysian" century in which our painter and the classical school died. They could then "enter the ages" in an old master sense, because enough time has passed for criticism to cool and interest to heat. It is said that time heals all wounds, provided they are not fatal to start with. Getting out of the 1900's will do much to soften the reproach so long heaped upon J. W. Godward and the Classical Academic painters of his day. Finally it should be recognized that Godward's revival has basically been sustained by art dealers and private art collectors. Almost no art historians or art museums have been involved. This is about to change. Enough Godward paintings remain in excellent condition, to jump-start his reputation. While the costs of "main-line" art has multiplied and availability of quality examples decreased, the "other nineteenth century" has become increasingly appealing. At the time of this publication it would be unthinkable that a museum of art would actually purchase a Godward. But this paradigm will soon shift in the twenty-first century. Celebrity art collectors of the stature of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and comedian, Joan Rivers have had the foresight to acquire the artist's work. Private collectors and dealers rather than art historians and museum directors have discovered Godward. The J. Paul Getty Museum in Malibou posses three Godward oils which they seldom display. They are considered kitsch by their curators, in much the same way as they feel about the Alma-Tadema Spring painting. This present condition will probably change with the new millennium, bringing with it a new pattern of thinking and appreciation. This is what happened with Anthon Raphael Mengs and Pompeo Batoni during this century. When museums actually begin to buy academic art after the turn of the century, then a new world of appreciation will finally be available to Museum audiences world-wide. In 1976 the author began to research Godward and by 1978 he began reading for his Ph.D. at the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. As he began to examine the classical art of the era, in order to understand the milieu of Alma-Tadema's contemporaries, Godward stood out. More often than not he was closely aligned with Tadema, and several works even had the Royal Academician's signature affixed to Godward's paintings. By writing a biography and catalogue raisonne on Alma-Tadema and separating out the Godwards, his file steadily increased on the latter artist. By 1979 he had collected enough material, to consider publishing an "inadvertent" book on the artist. About 1982 he began assisting with cataloguing entries for auction houses world-wide and five years later began to announce a forthcoming publication. The dearth of information on Godward had hurt his art market, but now the prospect of a book only served to bolster interest in Godward's art. Now we see the appreciation and prices of Godward's work soaring. When the small oil, A Grecian Beauty (1909) was purchased in 1963 by Charles Smith an ambulanceman, for £90 that amount equaled two weeks wages. Since that time the picture has increased in value to about one year's wages for the medium income family. It is probable that this inflation in Godward prices will continue until he has reached parity with the same level modernists. | |
 Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema A Difference of Opinion Oil on canvas, 1896 15 x 9 inches Collection of Fred and Sherry Ross      |
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