A Peek Into Ancient Rome

Article by Flora

A Priestess of Bacchus

John William Godward was a Victorian Neo-Classicist who lived at the turn of the Twentieth Century. His paintings depict life in Ancient Rome and sometimes in Greece, such as Sappho. As a student of the ancient world, I have always been fascinated by Godward’s art. His paintings are almost photoshoots taken two thousand years ago. Godward’s attention to detail in dresses and profound knowledge of Roman architecture re-creates the ancient world.

A Priestess of Bacchus by John William Godward

Godward takes us back two thousand years to the warm and beautiful archipelago of the Mediterranean. It is a lovely spring day with mild weather, and we sit at the top of a hill looking over the sea. We are at the Temple of Bacchus, – temples were usually made on high ground. The daily ritual must have just been completed, the visitors are leaving, and the priestess of the temple can finally sit and relax. Yet she is curious. She is looking directly at us: the moment our eyes meet with hers is the moment of connection with the ancient world.


Violets, Sweet Violets

In this painting, we see a single young woman gazing thoughtfully at the violets she is holding. The breathtakingly organized colors catch the eye at first glance, yet there is more to it.

In Ancient Greece and Rome, flowers held many meanings. In the myths and stories of the ancient world, certain flowers and trees held certain powers and were usually connected with deities, such as the laurel tree as the nymph Daphne or Persephone and three pomegranate seeds. Therefore, we need to view violets in this light as well.

Violets was a flower of Aphrodite and later became the symbol of Athens as well. Maybe this young lady in our painting was praying to Aphrodite, holding her scentful flowers as a small sacrifice for the goddess to accept her wish for love.

Contrasting her youth and beauty, she has a tone of despair. Also, the worn-out cloth around her waist tells us that she might be heartbroken or torn due to heartbreak. She may not be a lady of power, wielding wealth and social status. She may have been through heartbreak and pain, maybe, yet even in the weather of despair that surrounds her, she has hope in the power of the goddess: she is still holding the violets.

Violets, Sweet Violets by John William Godward

The Sweet Siesta of a Summer Day

Life is slow in the Mediterranean, which must have been so in Ancient Roman times. Especially in summer, when the weather is very hot, life gets even slower. In this painting, Godward gives us a chance to peek into the daily life of a Roman noblewoman. The decoration of the room, the marble-covered floor, and the fact that she could hire a musician signal us that our host is a wealthy woman of high social status.

The Sweet Siesta of the Summer Day by John William Godward

John William Godward made countless and amazing works during his short and arduous life. His versatility in the classics and colorful palette gives us an exquisite chance to experience the ancient world through his eyes and art.

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