John William Waterhouse Paintings

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  • La Fileuse 1874

    La Fileuse 1874

    La_Fileuse_-_John_William_WaterhouseTitle:    La Fileuse
    Painted by:    John William Waterhouse
    Orientation:    Portrait

    The painting of the Pompeian city of La Fileuse was created by the British artist John William Waterhouse, who was a member of the Society of British Artists and a member of the School of Paris. Influenced by the red pilasters and Pompeian setting, Waterhouse used this subject to his advantage and used the title “La Fileuse” to attract Parisian pompeiste painting enthusiasts. The painting was a success, and Waterhouse was soon rewarded with several awards.

  • The Unwelcome Companion–A Street Scene in Cairo 1873

    The Unwelcome Companion–A Street Scene in Cairo 1873

    John_William_Waterhouse-_The_Unwelcome_Companion_-_a_Street_Scene_in_CairoTitle:    The Unwelcome Companion A Street Scene in Cairo (1873
    Painted by:    John William Waterhouse
    Dimensions:    19.29 inch wide x 23.23 inch high
    Orientation:    Portrait

    The Unwelcome Companion A street scene in Cairo is a painting by John William Waterhouse. It was completed in 1873, and the Society of British Artists exhibited it in their gallery. The painting was later donated to the Towneley Art Gallery by P. Oldman. Originally, the painting was misidentified as Spanish Tambourine Girl, but it was correctly identified by the art historian and critic Anthony Hobson. Hobson believes that Waterhouse’s painting never acquired the right combination of environment and talent, and therefore it was misidentified at the time.

  • Gone, But Not Forgotten 1873

    Gone, But Not Forgotten 1873

    Gone_But_Not_Forgotten_-_John_William_WaterhouseTitle:    Gone, But Not Forgotten 1873
    Painted by:    John William Waterhouse
    Year:    1873
    Orientation:    Portrait

  • Undine 1872

    Undine 1872

    Title:  Undine
    Date:  1872
    Medium:  oil on canvas

    The romantic fascination with supernatural characters was an inspiration for the creation of Undine by John William Waterhouse in 1872. It was not uncommon for writers of that time to create stories about such characters. But this story of the undead was unlike any other. It had many supernatural features that would appeal to readers. Waterhouse depicted Undine as a witch who was able to control her own destiny. The twisted fate of this witch will leave you wondering what lies in store for you.

    Undine

    The undine painting by John William Waterhouse was created in the Romanticism style. This style was rooted in Dickens’s belief that fairy tales should be kept as part of human culture, even in our utilitarian age. Waterhouse also shared the Romantics’ interest in spirituality and the supernatural. In this painting, a young woman stands in front of an undulating well, surrounded by water.

    The painting was so well-received that it was accepted for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 1876. It was given the favourable hanging position known as the “on the line” by the hanging committee. Waterhouse’s painting was clearly influenced by the work of Lawrence Alma-Tadema, a French painter who also painted a voluptuous nude bacchante.

    Waterhouse’s most famous painting

    If you have a love of art, you may be interested in buying a reproduction of John William Waterhouse’s most famous painting: Undine 1872. Waterhouse was known for his Romanticism paintings, which often feature supernatural characters or scenes that have a spiritual significance. Undine was Waterhouse’s first painting with a young female figure. Her long hair mimics a flume of water and her expression is reminiscent of a waterfall. Waterhouse’s use of water as a theme is a common theme in his works, and he painted many young female figures in this style.

    While Waterhouse was not a Pre-Raphaelite, he drew inspiration from the work of the masters of the movement, and his work is often grouped with that group. Undine was his first known work, and was completed in 1872. While the painting has Classical elements, it is melodramatic and romantic in appearance. Although Waterhouse was a young artist, he managed to capture the mood of the Romantic age by combining classic subject matter with folklore.

    John_William_Waterhouse_-_Undine

     

  • The Lady of Shalott 1888

    The Lady of Shalott 1888

    A longdrawn carol, mournful, holy,
    She chanted loudly, chanted lowly,
    Till her eyes were darken’d wholly,
    And her smooth face sharpen’d slowly,
    Turn’d to tower’d Camelot:
    For ere she reach’d upon the tide
    The first house by the water-side,
    Singing in her song she died,
    The Lady of Shalott.
    excerpt – Tennyson, 1832

    John William Waterhouse painted nine subjects considering different Tennysonian themes and poems as well as three different versions of The Lady of Shalott.  Waterhouse’s ‘Lady of Shalott’ exhibited throughout three different years: summer exhibition in 1888, 1894 along with once more in 1916. Every exhibition would focus on a unique aspect of the artwork and excerpts of the poem were involved in the catalogue. In 1888, The Royal Academy deemed Waterhouse an accommodation for his painting, ‘The Lady of Shalott.’ The original size is 153 x 200 cm, located at Tate Britian.

    the lad of shalott