Windflower
John William Waterhouse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John William Waterhouse (6 April 1849 — 10 February 1917) was an English Pre-Raphaelite painter most famous for his paintings of female characters from mythology and literature. He belonged to the later phase of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
One of Waterhouse's most famous paintings is The Lady of Shalott, a study of Elaine of Astolat, who dies of grief when Lancelot will not love her. He actually painted three different versions of this character, in 1888, 1894, and 1916.
Another of Waterhouse's favorite subjects was Ophelia. Waterhouse could not finish the series of Ophelia paintings because he was gravely ill with cancer by 1915. He died two years later.
The Lady of Shalott
Date: 1888 Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 153 x 200 cm
Location: Tate Britain, London, UK
This painting is based on The Lady of Shalott by Alfred Lord Tennyson.
It illustrates the lines:
And down the river's dim expanse
Like some bold seer in a trance,
Seeing all his own mischance -
With a glassy countenance
Did she look to Camelot.
And at the closing of the day
She loosed the chain, and down she lay;
The broad stream bore her far away,
The Lady of Shalott.
Miranda
Date: 1875 Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 12 x 15 in
Miranda is a character is William Shakespeare's play The Tempest. The play was first performed around 1611.
Waterhouse painted versions of Miranda at the start and end of his career. The other versions are both dated 1916.
St Cecilia
Date: 1895 Medium: Oil on canvas
Cecilia lived in Rome around 230 AD. She is famous for taking a lifelong vow of chastity which she kept despite her enforced marriage. She converted her husband to Christianity and both suffered martyrdom. In medieval times, a misreading of her Acts led to her connection with church music and when the Academy of Music was established at Rome in 1584, she was adopted as its patroness. Her saint's day is celebrated on 22 November.
This painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1895, with the quotation from Tennyson's 'The Palace of Art':
'In a clear walled city on the sea.
Near gilded organ pipes - slept St. Cecily'.
A reviewer in The Art Journal wrote:
'.. in St Cecilia, the important work which represents nearly two years unremitting toil and experiment, the aim is wholly decorative, the colour superb, and the painting swift and direct; that of a man who has reached his goal. The feeling is entirely mediaeval... The effect is decorative first, then somewhat ecclesiastic; entirely removed from realism and the world of our daily life.'
This painting was auctioned in June 2000 and fetched a world-record price for a Victorian painting.
Destiny
Date: 1900 Medium: Oil on canvas Size: 68.5 x 55 cm
Location: Towneley Hall Art Gallery, Burnley, Lancashire, UK
"In 1899 the Boer War had begun in South Africa, and in the spring of 1900 350 artists donated works to the Artists' War Fund in support of the British troops. After being exhibited in the London Guildhall, the pictures were auctioned by Christie's, who waived the £12,000 profit in favour of the Fund. Destiny was painted by Waterhouse especially for the cause, as shown by his own inscription 'Artists' War Fund' above his signature, and was selected by The Studio as one of the most noteworthy in the exhibition. The girl drinking a libation to the departing heroes was a favourite model for the rest of his career; statuesque in her beauty, she casts a sympathetic gaze towards the ships already under sail. Waterhouse's setting is typical of his origins - Italianate and geometrical: the circles of the mirror and its stand are repeated in the arches of the tiled loggia and the front of the lectern."
Flora
Date: 1890 Medium: Oil on canvas
The goddess of blossoming flowers of spring. She had a minor temple on the Quirinalis and was given a sanctuary near the Circus Maximus in 238 BC. The festival of the Floralia, celebrated on April 28 -May 1, existed until the 4th century AD. Flora is identified with the Greek Chloris.Encyclopedia Mythica
"When she first entered the room I believe the words I spoke to Locke trailed off in mid sentence. Flora is absolutely stunning as you can see, but I fear her picture does not do her justice. There is something in the way she moves, some sort of poetry of grace. Her movements are light, smooth and perfect. The effect, coupled with her beauty, is entrancing.
She glided over to me and introduced her self. I introduced myself and lightly kissed her hand. She smiled to me politely.
How I wanted to reach out with A conduit of the Emotions to touch her mind and glimpse the persona behind this image, but my magic was being closely and suspicously viewed.
I'd wait. Flora, we shall meet again."
Miranda
"O, wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't!"
Miranda
William Shakespeare
The Tempest Act V, Scene I
Boreas
Ophelia
The Soul of the Rose
Gone But Not Forgotten
Date: 1873
Ophelia
Date: 1889
Juliet
Date: 1988
The Lady Clare
Date: 1900
Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May
Date: 1909
Ophelia
Date: 1910
Rebecca Lin 2009 Spring In USA
