Lady Godiva (1897-1898 CE)

John Collier’s Lady Godiva (c. 1897–1898) is a captivating oil painting that portrays the legendary Anglo-Saxon noblewoman riding naked through the streets of Coventry, her modesty preserved by her flowing hair. Rendered in the Pre-Raphaelite style, the artwork combines rich colors, intricate details, and a romanticized historical narrative, inviting viewers into a medieval world of virtue and sacrifice. The painting’s blend of sensuous beauty and moral depth makes it a striking exploration of a timeless myth.

Created around 1897–1898 by John Maler Collier, a prominent British artist known for his Pre-Raphaelite and portrait works, Lady Godiva draws on a legend first documented in the 13th century. The historical Lady Godiva, or Godgifu (died between 1066 and 1086), was an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman married to Leofric, Earl of Mercia. She was a documented benefactor of churches and monasteries, notably the Benedictine monastery in Coventry. The legend, recorded by Roger of Wendover in Flores Historiarum, claims Godiva rode naked through Coventry to protest oppressive taxes imposed by Leofric, who agreed to lower them if she completed the act. The story gained prominence in the 19th century, particularly after Alfred Tennyson’s 1842 poem Godiva, which inspired Collier’s depiction. The painting reflects the Victorian era’s fascination with medieval themes and moral narratives.

One notable aspect of the painting is the model, Mabel (Mab) Paul, a West End actress and professional artist’s model. Her portrayal as Godiva bridges the medieval legend with contemporary Victorian culture, adding a layer of modernity to the myth. The inclusion of the Benedictine monastery in the background showcases Collier’s effort to ground the apocryphal tale in historical context, despite its questionable authenticity. The legend’s later addition of Peeping Tom, a voyeur struck blind for watching Godiva, is absent in Collier’s work, a deliberate choice to emphasize Godiva’s dignity over scandal.

Lady Godiva holds a prominent place within the Pre-Raphaelite movement, characterized by vivid colors, meticulous detail, and inspiration from medieval and literary themes. The painting navigates the era’s strict moral codes by presenting Godiva’s nudity as a moral act of self-sacrifice, inspired by classical Venus statues to lend antique dignity. Symbolically, Godiva represents social justice, protesting oppressive taxation, and female empowerment, challenging patriarchal norms through her bold act. In Coventry, she is a cultural icon, celebrated in festivals and statues, embodying compassion and resistance. The painting’s exclusion of Peeping Tom shifts focus from voyeurism to Godiva’s heroism, aligning with Victorian ideals of virtue while subtly addressing women’s autonomy in a restrictive society.

The painting, executed in oil on canvas, measures 142.2 x 183 cm (56 x 72 inches). Collier employs a warm, rich palette, contrasting Godiva’s pale skin and chestnut hair with the red, gold-embellished saddlecloth of her white horse that symbolize purity. The composition, with Godiva and the horse aligned parallel to the frame, evokes a classical frieze, enhancing the work’s historical gravitas. The background features a medieval cityscape with stone buildings and arches, including a reference to the Benedictine monastery, rendered with soft colors and atmospheric perspective to create depth. Collier’s attention to detail, from the heraldic symbols on the saddle to the architectural elements, reflects Pre-Raphaelite precision and romanticism.

After its creation, Lady Godiva was exhibited and later offered to Hampstead, which declined it. In 1937, social reformer Thomas Hancock Nunn bequeathed the painting to the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry, where it remains a centerpiece of the city’s cultural heritage.