Ah, you're asking about the "John William guy" in the post—no mystery here. You're referring to John William Waterhouse, one of the most enchanting painters of the late Victorian era and a beloved figure in the orbit of the Pre-Raphaelites (even if he wasn’t one of the original Brotherhood).
Here’s the lowdown on this artistic dreamweaver:
🎨 John William Waterhouse: The Last of the Pre-Raphaelite Spirit
Born: Baptised 6 April 1849 in Rome, Italy
Died: 10 February 1917 in London, England
Movement: Late Pre-Raphaelite / Academic Classicism
Famous For: Ethereal women from myth, legend, and poetry—especially Tennyson’s The Lady of Shalott
🌍 Origins & Early Life
Waterhouse was born in Rome to English painter parents—art was in his blood. The family moved to London when he was young, and he enrolled at the Royal Academy Schools, the epicentre of British art training. He began exhibiting there in 1874 and became a full Royal Academician in 1895.
His early works were steeped in classical themes—scenes of ancient Greece and Rome—painted in the polished Academic style. But as the 1880s rolled in, he found his true voice: melancholy, poetic, and deeply symbolic, echoing the spirit of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
🖼️ Artistic Style & Themes
Though born a year after the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood disbanded (1848), Waterhouse became their spiritual successor. He embraced their love of:
- Literary subjects (Tennyson, Keats, Shakespeare, Arthurian legend)
- Hyper-detailed naturalism
- Vibrant colour and emotional intensity
- Strong, often tragic female figures
He painted women not as passive ideals, but as fated, entranced, and powerful—caught in moments of decision, doom, or divine vision.
🔥 Major Works
- The Lady of Shalott (1888) – His most iconic piece. Captures Tennyson’s cursed weaver drifting toward Camelot, knowing she’s dying. The three candles (two snuffed) symbolize her fading life. Housed at Tate Britain.
- Ophelia (1889, 1894, 1910) – He painted this Shakespearean tragedy three times, clearly haunted by her watery fate.
- Hylas and the Nymphs (1896) – A seductive, eerie scene of a youth lured into the water by water spirits. Caused a stir when it was temporarily removed from display in 2018 for “feminist reinterpretation.”
- The Magic Circle (1886) – A sorceress drawing a fiery ring, exuding power and mystery. One of his most original and enigmatic works.
💍 Legacy
Waterhouse bridged the gap between Victorian tradition and modern sensibility. While not a radical like Rossetti or Hunt, his dreamlike intensity and focus on female interiority resonate deeply today.
He’s often called the "last of the Pre-Raphaelites"—not because he was part of the original trio, but because he kept their flame alive when others had moved on.
🏛️ Where to See His Work
- Tate Britain, London – Home to The Lady of Shalott, Saint Eulalia, and Circe Offering the Cup to Ulysses
- Manchester Art Gallery – Hylas and the Nymphs
- Art galleries worldwide, from Sydney to Toronto
So while he wasn’t breaking rules in a Gower Street basement like Millais and Hunt, John William Waterhouse became the soulful heir to their vision—painting poetry, fate, and beauty with a brush dipped in moonlight.
✨ If you love tragic heroines, enchanted woods, and women about to do something very dramatic—Waterhouse is your guy.
Thoughts? Ready to fall into a painting? Upvote if you’d float down a river singing a curse. 🛶🕯️
@jarvie well that was fun