John William Waterhouse (baptised 6 April 184910 February 1917) was an English painter known for working first in the Academic style and for then embracing the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood's style and subject matter. His paintings are known for their depictions of women from ancient Greek mythology, Arthurian legend, and the works of William Shakespeare. A high proportion depict a single young and beautiful woman in a historical costume and setting, though there are some ventures into Orientalist painting and genre painting, still mostly featuring women.

Born in Rome to English parents who were both painters, Waterhouse later moved to London, where he enrolled in the Royal Academy of Art Schools. He soon began exhibiting at their annual summer exhibitions, focusing on the creation of large canvas works depicting scenes from the daily life and mythology of ancient Greece. Many of his paintings are based on authors such as Homer, Ovid, Shakespeare, Tennyson, or Keats.

Waterhouse's work is displayed in many major art museums and galleries, and the Royal Academy of Art organised a major retrospective of his work in 2009.

Biography

Early life

Waterhouse was born in the city of Rome to the English painters William and Isabella Waterhouse in 1849, in the same year that the members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, including Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais and William Holman Hunt, were first causing a stir in the London art scene. The exact date of his birth is unknown, though he was baptised on 6 April, and the later scholar of Waterhouse's work, Peter Trippi, believed that he was born between 1 and 23 January. His early life in Italy has been cited as one of the reasons many of his later paintings were set in ancient Rome or based upon scenes taken from Roman mythology.

In 1854, the Waterhouses returned to England and moved to a newly built house in South Kensington, London, which was near to the newly founded Victoria and Albert Museum. Waterhouse, or 'Nino' as he was nicknamed, coming from an artistic family, was encouraged to become involved in drawing, and often sketched artworks that he found in the British Museum and the National Gallery. In 1871, he entered the Royal Academy of Art school, initially to study sculpture, before moving on to painting.

Early career

thumb|[[Sleep and his Half-brother Death, 1874]]

Waterhouse's early works were not Pre-Raphaelite in nature, but were of classical themes in the spirit of Alma-Tadema and Frederic Leighton. These early works were exhibited at the Dudley Gallery, and the Society of British Artists, and in 1874 his painting Sleep and his Half-brother Death was exhibited at the Royal Academy summer exhibition. The painting was a success and Waterhouse would exhibit at the annual exhibition every year until 1916, with the exception of 1890 and 1915. He then went from strength to strength in the London art scene, his 1876 piece After the Dance being given the prime position in that year's summer exhibition. Perhaps due to his success, his paintings typically became larger. However, a sketch book of Waterhouse's from this period included other studies of Arab models, indicating a fascination with the oriental that did not last beyond his early art. This can further be seen in the sketch An Eastern Reminiscence. Portrait of a Young Woman () was completely unknown until the painting was discovered on the BBC television programme The Antiques Roadshow, featuring with a hole in the canvas. It was included in Peter Trippi's Waterhouse monograph.

In total, he produced 118 paintings. See List of paintings by John William Waterhouse for an almost complete list.

1870s

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File:Ondine (Waterhouse).jpg|Undine<br />1872

File:Gone But Not Forgotten - John William Waterhouse.jpg|Gone, But Not Forgotten<br />1873

File:John William Waterhouse- The Unwelcome Companion - a Street Scene in Cairo.JPG|The Unwelcome Companion: A Street Scene in Cairo<br />1873

File:John William Waterhouse, La Fileuse.jpg|La Fileuse<br />1874

File:Peristyle.jpg|In the Peristyle<br />1874

File:Miranda - John William Waterhouse.jpg|Miranda<br />1875

File:John William Waterhouse-After the Dance-1876.jpg|After the Dance<br />1876

File:John William Waterhouse - A Sick Child brought into the Temple of Aesculapius (1877).jpg|A Sick Child brought into the Temple of Aesculapius<br />1877

File:John William Waterhouse, The Remorse of Nero After the Murder of His Mother.jpg|The Remorse of the Emperor Nero after the Murder of his Mother<br />1878

</gallery>

1880s

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Image:John William Waterhouse - Dolce Far Niente (1880).jpg|Dolce far Niente<br />1880

Image:Waterhouse-Diogenes.jpg|Diogenes<br />1882

Image:John Williams Waterhouse - The Favourites of the Emperor Honorius (1883).jpg|The Favourites of the Emperor Honorius<br />1883

File:John William Waterhouse - Consulting the Oracle - Christie's.jpg|Consulting the Oracle<br />1884

Image:John William Waterhouse - Saint Eulalia - 1885.jpg|Saint Eulalia<br />1885

Image:John William Waterhouse - Magic Circle.JPG|The Magic Circle<br />1886

Image:John William Waterhouse-Mariamne Leaving the Judgement Seat of Herod-1887.jpg|Mariamne Leaving the Judgement Seat of Herod<br />1887

Image:John William Waterhouse - The Lady of Shalott - Google Art Project edit.jpg|The Lady of Shalott<br />1888

Image:Cleopatra - John William Waterhouse.jpg|Cleopatra<br />1888

Image:JWW Ophelia 1889.jpg|Ophelia<br />1889

</gallery>

1890s

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File:A Roman Offering - JWW.jpg|A Roman Offering<br />1890

File:Circe Offering the Cup to Odysseus.jpg|Circe Offering the Cup to Ulysses<br />1891

File:WATERHOUSE - Ulises y las Sirenas (National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, 1891. Óleo sobre lienzo, 100.6 x 202 cm).jpg|Ulysses and the Sirens<br />1891

File:John_William_Waterhouse_Danaë.jpg|Danaë<br />1892

File:Circe Invidiosa - John William Waterhouse.jpg|Circe Invidiosa<br />1892

File:John William Waterhouse-Gathering Summer Flowers in a Devonshire Garden-1893.jpg|Gathering Summer Flowers in a Devonshire Garden<br />1892–1893

File:A Naiad or Hylas with a Nymph by John William Waterhouse (1893).jpg|A Naiad or Hylas with a Nymph<br />1893

File:John William Waterhouse - La Belle Dame sans Merci (1893).jpg|La Belle Dame sans Merci<br />1893

File:A Female Study - John William Waterhouse.jpg|A Female Study<br />1894

File:The Lady of Shalott Looking at Lancelot.jpg|The Lady of Shalott Looking at Lancelot<br />1894

File:John William Waterhouse - Ophelia (1894).jpg|Ophelia<br />1894

File:John William Waterhouse - The Shrine.JPG|The Shrine<br />1895

File:Waterhouse stcecilia.jpg|Saint Cecilia<br />1895

File:Waterhouse Hylas and the Nymphs Manchester Art Gallery 1896.15.jpg|Hylas and the Nymphs<br />1896

File:John William Waterhouse - Pandora, 1896.jpg|Pandora<br />1896

File:John William Waterhouse - Juliet.jpg|Juliet<br />1898

File:John William Waterhouse Ariadne.jpg|Ariadne<br />1898

</gallery>

1900s

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File:John William Waterhouse-The Siren-1900.jpg|The Siren<br />1900

File:John william waterhouse destiny.jpg|Destiny<br />1900

File:The Lady Clare.jpg|The Lady Clare<br />1900

File:John William Waterhouse, Study for Nymphs Finding the Head of Orpheus.png|Study for Nymphs Finding the Head of Orpheus<br />1900

File:Nymphs finding the Head of Orpheus.jpg|Nymphs Finding the Head of Orpheus<br />1900

File:John William Waterhouse A Mermaid.jpg|A Mermaid<br />1901

File:John William Waterhouse - The Crystal Ball.JPG|The Crystal Ball<br />1902

File:John William Waterhouse - The Missal.JPG|The Missal<br />1902

File:Windswept by John William Waterhouse.jpg|Windflowers<br />1902

File:John William Waterhouse - Boreas (1903).jpg|Boreas<br />1903

File:John William Waterhouse - Echo and Narcissus - Google Art Project.jpg|Echo and Narcissus<br />1903

File:Psyche-Waterhouse.jpg|Psyche Opening the Golden Box<br />1903

File:Psyche Opening the Door into Cupid's Garden.jpg|Psyche Opening the Door into Cupid's Garden<br />1904

File:Lamia and the Soldier.jpg|Lamia<br />(version 1)<br />1905

File:The Danaides by John William Waterhouse - John William Waterhouse - ABDAG003402.jpg|The Danaides, 1906

File:Jason and Medea - John William Waterhouse.jpg|Jason and Medea<br />1907

File:John william waterhouse isabella and the pot of basil.jpg|Isabella and the pot of basil<br />1907

File:The Bouquet (study).jpg|The Bouquet<br />(a study)<br />1908

File:Gather Ye Rosebuds - Ophelia.jpg|Gather Ye Rosebuds or Ophelia (a study)<br />

File:Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May.jpg|Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May…<br />1908

File:John William Waterhouse - The Soul of the Rose, aka My Sweet Rose.JPG|The Soul of the Rose or My Sweet Rose<br />1908

File:Waterhouse-gather ye rosebuds-1909.jpg|Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May<br />1909

File:Lamia Waterhouse.jpg|Lamia<br />(version 2)<br />1909

File:John William Waterhouse - Thisbe, 1909.jpg|Thisbe<br />1909

</gallery>

1910s

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File:John William Waterhouse - Ophelia (1910).jpg|Ophelia<br />1910

File:John William Waterhouse - Spring Spreads One Green Lap of Flowers.JPG|Spring Spreads One Green Lap of Flowers<br />1910

File:Waterhouse - The Charmer.jpg|The Charmer<br />1911

File:Waterhouse, JW - The Sorceress (1913).jpg|The Sorceress<br />-1915

File:JohnWilliamWaterhouse-PenelopeandtheSuitors(1912).jpg|Penelope and the Suitors<br />1912

File:John William Waterhouse - The Annunciation.JPG|The Annunciation<br />1914

File:John William Waterhouse - Dante and Matilda.jpg|Dante and Matilda (study) (formerly called "Dante and Beatrice")<br />

File:John William Waterhouse - Matilda (formerly called "Beatrice").jpg|Matilda (study) (formerly called "Beatrice")<br />

File:John William Waterhouse - I am half-sick of shadows, said the lady of shalott.JPG|I am Half-Sick of Shadows, said the Lady of Shalott<br />1916

File:1916-a-tale-from-the-decameron-.jpg|A Tale from the Decameron<br />1916

File:Miranda - The Tempest JWW.jpg|Miranda (The Tempest)<br />1916

File:John william waterhouse tristan and isolde with the potion.jpg|Tristan and Isolde<br />1916

</gallery>

References

Notes

Bibliography

Further reading

  • .
  • .
  • John William Waterhouse.net
  • John William Waterhouse (The Art and Life of JW Waterhouse) ;
  • John William Waterhouse (Comprehensive Painting Gallery)
  • John William Waterhouse (1849–1917)
  • John William Waterhouse Style and Technique
  • Waterhouse at Tate Britain
  • Echo and Narcissus (1903)
  • Ten Dreams Galleries
  • John William Waterhouse in the "History of Art"
  • Profile on Royal Academy of Arts Collections
  • Findagrave burial record