The Siesta 1895

John William Godward made this oil on canvas painting called 'The Siesta.' The artist used traditional materials like oil paints and canvas. Godward was associated with the Neo-Classicist style, which often focused on scenes from ancient Greece and Rome. The artist shows his technical mastery in rendering the different materials in this painting, from the smooth skin and flowing fabric to the fur draped over the shoulder. Godward, like many academically trained artists, dedicated himself to a painstaking process. Many hours went into achieving the perfect finish. The work depicts a woman at leisure, while the artist was undoubtedly working hard to produce this image of beauty and serenity. In this way, the painting reflects the Victorian era's complex relationship to labor, beauty, and class. Godward’s work prompts us to consider the value of labor and the social context of art production.