The Sweet Siesta of a Summer Day (1891 CE)

The Sweet Siesta of a Summer Day painted in 1891 by John William Godward, is a captivating neoclassical work that transports viewers to an idyllic scene of antiquity. This oil on canvas portrays a woman in classical attire reclining on a marble bench, serenaded by a flutist, against the backdrop of a distant Mount Vesuvius. Rich with vibrant hues and intricate details, the painting invites exploration of its serene beauty and historical resonance, embodying Godward’s fascination with the classical world.

Created in 1891, the artwork emerged during the height of the Victorian era’s fascination with ancient civilizations, particularly Rome and Greece. John William Godward, a British neoclassical painter, was influenced by this cultural trend, inspired by archaeological discoveries in Pompeii. The painting is likely inspired by Lord Byron’s poem The Island, specifically its evocative description of a tranquil summer scene. Godward, a reclusive artist who exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1887, was closely aligned with Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, sharing a passion for classical themes. His conservative family background and eventual estrangement after moving to Italy in 1912 with a model add a personal dimension to his artistic journey.

Godward’s family’s disapproval of his artistic career was so intense that they burned his personal effects after his death in 1922 and even cut his image from family photographs. This painting, with its Pompeiian artifacts like a bronze brazier and a pavonazzetto marble table, reflects Godward’s meticulous research into classical antiquity, a passion fueled by Victorian excavations. The work’s connection to Lord Byron’s poetry adds a literary layer, tying it to the Romantic movement’s idealization of nature and repose.

The Sweet Siesta of a Summer Day holds a significant place within the Victorian Neo-Classicist movement and the broader Aesthetic movement, which prioritized beauty over narrative. The painting’s depiction of a serene, feminine ideal aligns with Godward’s oeuvre, often described as “Victorians in togas” for its romanticized portrayal of antiquity. Its vivid colors and detailed textures, such as the diaphanous cerulean stola and Pompeiian frescoed walls, reflect the era’s obsession with classical revival, spurred by archaeological discoveries. The work’s focus on leisure and beauty also resonates with the Aesthetic movement’s principle of ‘art for art’s sake,’ making it a cultural artifact of late 19th-century Britain.

The painting is executed in oil on canvas, measuring 40.6 x 50.8 cm (16 x 20 inches). Godward’s technical mastery is evident in his rendering of textures, including the cool marble bench, the translucent fabric of the woman’s stola, and the intricate details of Greek and Roman objects like a bronze candelabrum with a sphinx motif and a klismos chair. 

The Sweet Siesta of a Summer Day is currently held in a private collection, limiting public access and detailed records of its exhibition history.