Medieval legends were a rich source of material for Victorian poets and artists, and in the legend of Lady Godiva, artists saw all that encapsulated the ideal Victorian values of high moral standing, piety, purity and compassion, values that would hopefully appeal to wealthy patrons and exhibition visitors.
Sculptors in particular found inspiration in the Godiva story, and we can compare their different approaches through examples on show at St Mary's Guildhall and the neighbouring Coventry Council House.
Lady Godiva c.1844
William Behnes (1795–1864) and Thomas Henry Nicholson (d.1870)
Plaster
H 71 x W 56 x D 24 cm
St Mary's Guildhall
Godiva c.1850
William Calder Marshall (1813–1894)
Plaster
H 163 x W 44.8 x D 44.8 cm
St Mary's Guildhall
Detail from Lady Godiva by WC Marshall
Godiva 1856
Emile Jeannest (1813–1857)
Silver, parcel gilt & bronze
H 49 x W 45 cm
Coventry Council House
Detail from Lady Godiva by Emile Jeanest
