• Registered: 2012-03-28
  • Posts: 3

Topic: John William Godward a Pompeian Lady

I m dutch so my English is not perfect.
Some time ago a bought a painting on wood. It seems to be a copy of A Pompeian Lady by John William Godward.
But it puzzles me, why it is not an exact copy.
On the left side there is a part missing and on the right side there is an extra part, as if the image has ben moved a bit to the left side.
I wonder if anyone can tell my why this happens to be so.

  • Registered: 2009-11-28
  • Posts: 34

Re: John William Godward a Pompeian Lady

Which of his paintings do you have? Is it this one:

http://www.sightswithin.com/John.William.Godward/A_Pompeian_Lady_(1895).jpg


Or this one?


http://www.sightswithin.com/John.William.Godward/A_Pompeian_Lady_(1891).jpg


If you upload your image to a web site somewhere you can link to it in your post by putting "img" tags around it. Then we can compare them.

-- Chris

  • Registered: 2012-03-28
  • Posts: 3

Re: John William Godward a Pompeian Lady

It s the second image.   http://imageshack.us/f/213/0000084q.jpg/

  • Registered: 2009-11-28
  • Posts: 34

Re: John William Godward a Pompeian Lady

Bertvee, these are my thoughts, though keep in mind that I am by no means an art expert, nor an expert on Godward.

It's clearly a copy, and in my opinion an "average" one. Godward sets a very high standard with his shadows and materials. Look at the face on the original, then at the copy. Look at the perspective with the floor tiles in the original, and then look at the trouble the artist had getting it right in the copy. I like the copy, but it suffers in comparison to the grace of the original.

My guess for shifting the image is that the copyist wanted to put the figure into the centre. Godward is using the "rule of thirds," which I think makes for an interesting composition. The copyist wanted the woman in the middle, which feels slightly unbalanced to me.
Read here about the rule of thirds.

I think the one you have is lovely, and it may be worth some money (I don't know). I just wouldn't hang it right beside the original. ;-)

I hope that helps,
Chris

  • Registered: 2012-03-28
  • Posts: 3

Re: John William Godward a Pompeian Lady

Thank you for your comment . I can agree with it.
Though the painting seem very old when you look at the wood it is painted on.
When you look at it it almost looks like a panel of door of a cupboard.

I dont know since when there are reproductions sold of this painting.