Lady Godiva's Prayer

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses nudity in Victorian art on the basis of "Lady Godiva's Prayer" by Edwin Landseer. The writer points out that this image dates from the Victorian era, and Landseer was a typical Victorian in many ways and so shaped the image according to principles and customs from that era. The writer further notes that critics see the painting as a contradiction, mixing a degree of nudity with a narrow-minded vision of a partly historical, partly mythical subject matter well-known in England. The writer discusses that the painting is also structured on certain anachronistic elements, with the dress of the lady-in-waiting being Puritan garb from a different century.

From the Paper:

"The painting selected for consideration is Lady Godiva's Prayer by Edwin Landseer, dating from around 1865. This image dates from the Victorian era, and Landseer was a typical Victorian in many ways and so shaped the image according to principles and customs from that era. Critics see the painting as a contradiction, mixing a degree of nudity with a narrow-minded vision of a partly historical, partly mythical subject matter well-known in England. The painting is also structured on certain anachronistic elements, with the dress of the lady-in-waiting being Puritan garb from a different century."

More papers on Lady Godiva's Prayer:

• Book Review # 95417 : "A Prayer for Owen Meany"--A Review"
• Argumentative Essay # 6514 : "Prayer in Schools"
• Analytical Essay # 36457 : "Prayer in School"

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