Lady Godiva John Collier (1850-1934)

Description of John Collier’s Lady Godiva

The year of creation is 1898, oil on canvas. Located at The Herbert Art Gallery & Museum, Coventry, UK.

The artist belonged to the Pre-Raphaelite movement that emerged in English painting from the 1850s. They sought to move away from a mindless academism that idealized the image and was limited in its choice of subject matter. At the time it meant going against the Royal Academy of Arts, hence the great criticism. One of the main features of the new current was the desire to paint people from nature.

The painting depicts a moment in a legendary story that took place in Coventry in the mid-11th century. The locals were supposedly suffering so much from exorbitant taxes that Lady Godiva came to her husband, the wealthy Earl Leofric, to beg for them. Being drunk, the man agreed on an impossible condition for her - to ride through the city naked. However, the noble lady put the needs of society above her pride and honor. The people loved her so much that on a certain day they did not go out into the streets, closing all the windows and doors. So, unnoticed by anyone and covered only by her hair, the maiden rode through town. However, this whole story is most likely a beautiful fiction.

Collier in his painting, unlike most authors, depicted the beautiful red-haired Godiva confused and frightened by the mad ride. Despite her act, she is graceful and innocent. The nakedness and fragility of her figure contrasts with the richly adorned harness and harness, the horse’s muscles, which are especially clearly drawn on the powerful neck. The painter has reflected many other details on the canvas with amazing precision. In the background, the uneven masonry and the scratched column look really ancient. The viewer sees every link of the gold chain and coats of arms on the reins, the magnificent pattern of purple and greenish-yellow on the saddle, the vegetal ornamentation of the braid and the golden English royal lions on the horse’s coverlet. Also of note is the magnificent color scheme, which transports to distant times, and the composition that makes you feel the slow movement of the rider.