Florence Nightingale in the Barrack Hospital, Scutari, 1855

Sketch of a ward at the Hospital at Scutari, c.1856

Hilary Bonham-Carter - Florence Nightingale aged about 25

Frank Dicksee - Beatrice Stuart, 1912

Frank Dicksee - The Duet

Frank Dicksee - Dawn

Edwardian Dolls House by Sid Cooke ......

http://www.sidcooke.co.uk/edwardian-dolls-house.asp

John William Godward - The Time of Roses

signed J.W. Godward and dated 1916 (lower left)
oil on canvas 30 1/2 by 30 1/2 in. (painted within a circle)
The Time of Roses is among Godward's most successful compositions. Every square inch of the picture plane contributes to this beautiful image of a Grecian woman in a sinuous draped gown, perched on a small chaise that is draped in a leopard's pelt. She holds a small pair of shears in one hand and a single white rose in the other –typically a symbol of honor and integrity and, in some cases, remembrance. As in all of his masterpieces, no element is spared the artist's meticulous, and even obsessive, attention to detail. Formally, the roundel lends itself perfectly to the seated subject and the careful arrangement of horizontal and vertical elements activate the whole composition. In discussing this painting, Vern Swanson adds that "the artist's deft handling of tonal and analogous color harmonies creates an effective image" (Swanson, p. 112). A painting such as this leaves no doubt that Godward was a master of his craft. Painted in 1916, one cannot help but wonder to what The Time of Roses alludes. While Europe and the rest of the world are in the grips of a war more devastating and on a greater scale than any other in recorded history, here sits Godward's dream-like beauty, contemplating her flower with sobriety. Her passive grip on the blades, the white rose that seems to stand in opposition to the arrangement of crimson, yellow and pink flowers, the discarded stem with blemished leaves, and of course the slain feline upon which she rests, all conspire to create a deeply meditative composition. He is presenting his archetypal woman as a transcendent hero and an allegory of peace. At this time, Godward maintained his practice in Italy. While he may have rejected the Futurist Manifesto that was written seven years prior, or not appreciated the beauty of works by his contemporaries, such as Monet in Giverney painting his late Waterlilies, Godward was well aware of what was happening in European art circles and the avantgarde. His reputation for being exclusively concerned with the creation of harmonious images and appealing to classical notions of beauty may be sound when faced with much of his output, but The Time of Roses presents an allegorical image that straddles symbolism and classicism. Not to be dismissed as an escapist vision of serenity and simplicity, here Godward has effectively married his technical mastery to compelling comment.

Edmund Blair Leighton - Ribbons and Laces for very pretty faces

signed E. BLAIR LEIGHTON and dated 1902 (lower left) oil on canvas 42 by 22 in. Though Leighton may be best known for his medieval compositions, he also painted a large number of nineteenth century costume pieces which share similar subject of male female interaction and romantic gesture. When one looks at Leighton's body of work as a whole, it is clear that he captures a certain quality that reaches the core of human emotion. Despite differences in time, the subject of love and romance are the same and universal. Like Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Leighton paid tremendous attention to the detail and historical accuracy of his work. He had an extensive collection of original eighteenth century costumes, instruments, and weaponry that he made good use of in his studio. It must be said that a key element in both his medieval and eighteenth century costume paintings was a careful representation of clothing styles and fabrics. If Leighton could not find an original piece that suited him, his wife would work with a seamstress in an upstairs room recreating a replica from original dress patterns. He must have found these costumes very beautiful and had a true passion for painting them. A particularly good example of this is Ribbons and Laces for Very Pretty Faces which was a very popular work after it left the artist's studio. In this painting alone, Blair Leighton utilizes nineteen different types of fabrics: from lace to silk, embroidery to velvet, some quilted and all painted with fine detail, skill, and dedication. In the present work, three woman stand at a doorway dressed in the most magnificent of gowns examining a selection of beautiful textiles and ribbons. The brunette appears to be as taken with the seller as with the wares he offers, while the youngest leans on her sister's arm, gazing off, having lost interest in the finery she is too young to appreciate. Ribbons and Laces for Very Pretty Faces is a veneration of beauty, not only of woman and fabrics, but of young adulthood as well. The copyrights for this work were purchased by the Berlin Photographic Company shortly after it was painted and the image was reproduced by them before 1905 in fine quality prints for public consumption. AUTHENTICATION We would like to thank Kara Ross for providing this catalogue entry and kindly confirming the authenticity of this lot which will be included in her forthcoming catalogue raisonné.