From the artist's life
Waterhouse returned to the tragic Lady of Shalott, from Tennyson's poem, in several paintings across his career.
Source: Wikipedia / WikimediaSymbolism
John William Waterhouse
John William Waterhouse (1849–1917) was a late Pre-Raphaelite painter of myth, legend and literature, famed for beautiful, dreaming women. His The Lady of Shalott is one of the most beloved Victorian paintings.
Waterhouse kept the Pre-Raphaelite spirit of romance and storytelling alive into the 20th century.
- A leading late Pre-Raphaelite, painting myth, magic and literature.
- Famed for The Lady of Shalott and other dreaming heroines.
- Drew on Tennyson, Keats and classical legend for his subjects.
Key works
Where to start
Complete list of key works
Works with a dedicated ArtAtlas page are highlighted in gold.
- The Lady of ShalottOn ArtAtlas
- Hylas and the NymphsListed for reference
- Circe Offering the Cup to UlyssesListed for reference
- Sleep and his Half-brother DeathListed for reference
- Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye MayListed for reference
- OpheliaListed for reference
1888
The Lady of Shalott
Waterhouse painted this on a canvas measuring 153 × 200 cm — enormous by Victorian standards for a non-commissioned work — and submitted it to the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition of 1888, where it caused a sensation before being snapped up by a wealthy sugar magnate, Henry Tate, whose collection later became the founding gift of the Tate Gallery.