John Maler Collier – Lady Godiva – 1898
Once more I have chosen an academic neoclassical panting for this incipient series. Not that I prefer this style over any other, but it is a fact that it suites better figurative representations and, very especially, erotic ones, and I have a clear drive toward eroticisim.
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[Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry, England, U.K.]
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There is some impressive command of light and colour in this oil by Collier (as in most of his), and much elegance as well. Also, the contrast between the richly attired horse, almost entirely covered, and the naked lady accentuates the eroticism of the image, objectively shy as it is.
What I like most is that the great beauty of this girl has very little to do with her feminine traits -or, to some measure, lack of them-, since they are either absent or not visible. Her body, as depicted here, could be a boy’s body as well.
All in all, a horse so proud, haughty and gorgeous and a young person so coy, delicate, slender and androgynous, in front of this deserted background: a silent medieval town; resonate deeply (and very pleasantly) in me. I do love this painting! and the long whiles I may be watching it have been again my first criterion to select it for this series.
I hope you enjoy it again as much as I do ✨ 🦄 .
Notes on the artist
John Maler Collier (England, 1850 – 1934) was a Victorian Neoclassical painter who excelled in his portrait work. His representation of Charles Darwin, Rudyard Kipling, Robert Burns, Thomas Huxley and other leading personalities of his epoch have become very widely known, and even iconic.
Li Fontrodona, 2018
INVISIBLE FORMS 
Would this fall into the Art Nouveau category? I love art with this kind of light, and feel, and style. She’s beautiful, yet modest – I suppose it’s why she isn’t riding side saddle – and yet brings forth the tale. Lovely work, and lovely to see your words again, Sis! 😍💋🌹✨
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HI, Dear Sis 🙂 !
The New Art movement in Britain was indeed influenced by the Pre-Raphaelites (a movement in which Collier belonged). His painting is in rigour Neoclassical and very academic, but has some traits, especially with regard to some Orientalism and the stylization of feminine figures, that predate to a point Modernism and Art Nouveau.
I also agree with your second comment; this depiction of Godiva is the only one I know of that shows her riding this way, not usual for a noble woman in Europe one thousand years ago.
About your gladness to see my words again, what can I say beyond: I Love You?… You are always very openly sweet and tender with me and this puts a glow into my chest and makes me feel happy for a while ! So, God bless you ! 💝 !!! I just wish I had more time and more energy to read and comment all of your posts, or at least to send some loving mail to you.
(((KISSSESSS and a Very Long HuG)))
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Oh, Sweet Sister – one day we will meet, and we shall go to all the wonderful art galleries, and I will heartily lap up all the information you can share with me about these paintings! It’s funny, even though the lions are clearly of an English style, they struck me as being very Oriental. Ha! I am learning from you!
I’m glad to do something for someone so dear to me, even this far away. You must take care of what you need to, as you need to – and know that you are always being offered my heart to eat. What else can I say to someone as loving and sweet as you?
((((((hugs, kissies, catnip for the fur babies, and where IS that pool boy with our drinks?)
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Oh yes, if life allows ! 🙂 I would love to visit with you all the big museums and galleries in the States.
Much more important, anyway, would be to physically hug you and “eat your heart” and have that very long shared bath with coffee –and some whisky– at hand, and soft towels and a massage afterwards :)) Some hunky pool boy would be appreciated mostly at night, to bring a last drink to the sleeping room (at least, mine)
Love and many kissies, Sis !!!!!!!!!!!! God bless!
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I’m going to see if I got any pictures of the dancers from last night…. Pool boys INDEED!
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Were you with dancing boys last night, you foxy naughty sis? … I will love to see the pics :)))
Nite here, being alone with a book and a plug, unsure about what to do: to sleep or not to sleep ? Close the book and leave the plug in, but off, and sleep, or close the book and turn the plug on at high vibrating mode, and lit some fireworks. And dream; and perchance fly to other places and into other’s arms, that now are lost forever ?
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Oh, Dear one…. I wish I had answers for you.
No, zi was not dancing, but *fans self* there were some very attractive men!
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