Moses Wight

Moses Wight (1827-1895) Portrait of a young man, 1885, oil on canvas signed and

1885

J. Bonnevay (active in France in the late 19th century) Portrait of a Gentleman Signed upper left (the signature is quite difficult to read, but without a doubt Bonnevay's) Oil on c...

French Romantic School, 19th Century Portrait of a man, a selfportrait ? oil on paper 17.5 x 12 cm oval Framed under glass : 43 x 34.5 cm This rather mysterious portrait is perhaps a self-portrait of the artist who painted it. This is suggested by the three-quarter pose and the gaze fixed on the viewer. What this man seems to be staring at is himself. Similarly, the model's appearance is reminiscent of the image of the romantic, bohemian, tortured artist. It's also very interesting that he used a range of dark colours to reinforce this idea of melancholy. It has been suggested that this small oil on paper is close to the art of François Bonvin (1817-1887) and Théodule Ribot...

John William Godward 1861-1922 British A Pompeian Lady Signed and dated "J.W. Godward 1904" (lower right, partially covered by frame) Oil on canvas One of the last and greatest Victorian neoclassical painters, John William Godward is celebrated for his flawlessly executed images of graceful women posed in idealized ancient settings. In this work, entitled A Pompeian Lady, a classical beauty is caught idling in a moment of quiet, solitary reflection. Godward's elegant subjects are depicted with a degree of technical mastery that remains unsurpassed, and the work's dramatic palette, luxurious fabrics and classical vision are all characteristics of his unique take on the neoclassical style. Godward was unmatched in terms of his technical skill and attention to detail. A master of contrasting textures, he paints a diaphanous gown draping against the model’s smooth, milky white skin, which sits against the painstakingly rendered individual hairs of a tiger’s pel. Scintillating color permeates the canvas as well, energizing the otherwise static scene. Each element is given careful attention, and the overall effect is one of both immaculate technique and sensual tactility. Along with his contemporary and mentor, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Godward set the tone for the Victorian neoclassicist movement. He built his career upon creating images of idealized feminine beauty infused with a Greco-Roman-inspired style. Though greatly influenced by Alma-Tadema, Godward distinguished himself through his predilection for the solitary female figure. His fame rose dramatically in the first few years of the 20th century, when the present work was completed, due to the burgeoning strength of the British Empire and the Victorian society’s preoccupation with ancient Rome. To many of the newly affluent, Roman society was, as Iain Gale writes, “a flawless mirror of their own immaculate world.” The sensuality and mystery of Godward’s maidens, combined with his impressive antique backdrops...

Elizabeth Zanzinger's (US based) "Fossils" is an oil painting that depicts nude forms suspended in air between highway and underpass. Elizabeth Z...