Songs without Words 1918

John William Godward made this scene with oils on canvas, and he worked every inch of it like a machine. The way he’s pushed the paint around to create these super smooth gradients reminds me of the polish on a car. Look at the way that the light seems to bounce off the marble, which looks almost edible. The fabric is treated similarly, and it is so smooth, you would think it was CGI. I suppose he wants to take us back to antiquity, maybe show us an ideal of beauty, but it is like he is trying too hard. It is interesting to see him wrestling with these ideas using the textures and colours available. Godward was clearly a craftsman, and there is a lot to admire in that respect. But I can’t help thinking that there are other ways to conjure a world. Think of Manet and his sketchy brushstrokes. The contrast is pretty stark.