Violets, Sweet Violets 

Curator: Oh, isn’t that melancholic! She’s gazing down at those violets like they hold all the secrets of the universe. What’s the story behind this piece? Editor: This painting is called "Violets, Sweet Violets" by John William Godward. Godward was an English painter and a prominent figure in the later neo-classicist movement, although exact year it was made is not available, the piece certainly evokes themes from that time. Curator: Neo-classicist, right. The marble, the draping…but with a sensitivity that feels more Pre-Raphaelite to me, a longing… the color is wonderful, it enhances the beauty and the expression on the subject. There's so much delicate pink that makes me feel calm, maybe I also smell flowers! Editor: Exactly. Godward's work, particularly his portrayal of women in classical settings, represents a fascinating lens through which to examine Victorian-era fantasies about antiquity. How the era imagines a retreat from modernity. The setting itself reinforces the stereotype about this kind of sensuality! Curator: Sensuality is the word. It feels voyeuristic, yet also intensely private. Look at the drape and details and how lightly and femininely everything flows. This almost naked woman shows beauty with that gaze… And there's also an incredible technical skill. It looks nearly photographic at a distance but, of course, painted! Editor: Godward, along with artists like Alma-Tadema, were highly successful precisely because of their ability to render hyper-realistic scenes of an imagined past. These images spoke to a rising middle class seeking refinement and a connection to what they perceived as a more glorious past. Also a safe form of depicting female nudes to their houses. Curator: A controlled fantasy! I get that, for sure. Still, I can't help but feel there's more to her than just decor. It seems sad that the subject itself gets erased and categorized. Perhaps she has more to say. Editor: Absolutely, and understanding that historical context allows us to also see how these images perpetuated certain ideas about women and beauty, about class and empire, so it encourages critical reflection as much as appreciation. Curator: Well, thanks to that I might look at this painting with a different appreciation now and to observe the time period the piece was created for and how they were interpreted back then, cheers! Editor: Precisely, seeing the flowers with fresh eyes.