John William Waterhouse (1849 – 1917 English), was an English painter who focused on Greek and Roman mythology, Arthurian legend and the tales from the works of Shakespeare as his subject matter. During the course of his life, he painted some of the most iconic pieces of art depicting fairies (nymphs) and other mythological characters and scenes. He often painted young women in much of his work, but also scenes of ancient legendary events and settings – all with rich oil colors and an attention to detail. His paintings have a heavily romanticized look and feel, with deep colors and somber expressions.

Examples of the themes he chose to work with are ‘Hylas & the Nymphs’, ‘Odysseus and the Sirens’, and ‘Psyche Opening the Golden Box’. The classical themes resonated with the Victorian interest in classic myths, stories, and legends. His painting style also emphasized the emotive side of his settings, the beauty of the works evoking feelings as love, or hope, or longing and other such emotions.

John William Waterhouse was born in Rome, and spent his younger years there with his English parents, whom were both painters. As such, he was surrounded by the rich heritage of Italian art and design, along with the history in the land and surroundings, and all which influenced his work in later years. The family moved back to England, and in In 1871, he entered the Royal Academy of Art school, where he settled on studying painting. As he started showing his work, it became met with growing interest, discussion and in some cases, critique.

In his later career, his work was sought by ever growing numbers of collectors, with his work showcasing the rich interplay between art, myth and literature. Today his work is preserved in private ownership and collections, and in various museums such as the Tate Britain and Manchester Art Gallery.

References –

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_William_Waterhouse

https://johnwilliamwaterhouse.net/