John William Godward took his own life at the age of 61. In his suicide note he expressed how "this world is not big enough" for himself and Picasso. Godward was a british painter with the expertise of neo-classical renderings, but in more modernist times, he soon fell out of favour. His parents disowned him for becoming an artist and following his suicide, burned all papers, photos and documentation of any kind on their sons life. This sense of isolation, angst, and solitude becomes extended into his figures. Distance, contemplation, loneliness all become evident within his paintings. The female form he paints with exquisite beauty, the pink porcelain flesh tones, the marvelous fabrics and beautiful marble backdrops. The fully nude figure in the third painting expresses a gaze different than the others. It is haunting, dark, and aggressive. Her back is straight, her body is directed at the viewer. This sense of confidence can also be seen in the image of the woman figure holding a staff, however it is the darkness in the eyes of the nude that elevates this work beyond the others. The figure is contrasted against the dark background while her black hair and darkened eyes are contrasted by the bright sky. She calls all attention and it is difficult to allow your eyes to stray.
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