History and Ethnology. Facts. Developments. Fiction. The Last Pre-Raphaelite: John William Waterhouse - an artist who painted strong women with a difficult fate

The topic of PRE-RAPHAELITES turned out to be very broad. English artistJohn William Waterhouse 1849 - 1917 , whose work is attributed to the later stagepre-Raphaelism.

John Waterhouse developed his own style, which harmoniously combined classicism, romanticism, fantasy and reality. Some works can be attributed to impressionism.

They were admired not only by the adherents of Symbolism or Pre-Raphaelism, but also by ordinary spectators. There is something in these canvases that cannot leave a person indifferent, even who first became acquainted with the work of the famous English painter. Everyone will find in them something close to his worldview and read the plot in his own way. Probably this is great power real art.

A LITTLE ABOUT THE ARTIST.

John William Waterhouse was born in April 1849 in the capital of Italy. His parents were pretty famous artists... When the boy grew up a little, the family decided to return to London for permanent residence, after several years in Italy.

First lessons in painting, composition, perspective and combination colors, the boy received from his father. Art surrounded him all his life and he absorbed love for him literally with the milk of his mother-artist. Family and close friends often called him "Nino".

At the age of 21, Waterhouse successfully passed exams at the prestigious British Royal Academy of Arts, where, later, as in the Grosvenor Gallery, he organized many exhibitions of his work. Before entering this school, the young man helped his father in his studio. This experience was very useful for the young man. Painting and sculpture at the Academic School was taught by the artist Pickersgill.

The young man's early works are reminiscent of some of the compositional details and images of the famous painter Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, a Dutch-born British artist who was the most famous and highly paid artist of the Victorian era.

Another painter who also had a significant influence on early work Waterhouse, was the English Baron Frederick Leighton being bright representative Victorian academism, the so-called salon art, is also somewhat close to the Pre-Raphaelites.

At the age of twenty-five (1874), John Waterhouse presented his first major work, "Sleep and His Half-Brother Death," at the exhibition, which, as many contemporaries noted, was greeted with the noisy delight of all spectators. The picture has earned excellent reviews from numerous critics, and the artist has gained popularity. This canvas, in the future, was part of almost all of his exhibitions.

Let's take a closer look at this picture.

"Sleep and his half-brother Death"

One of the young people is holding bright red poppies that have not yet withered. Most likely, this young man is a Dream, because even the flowers, as if lulled by the beautiful music of a pipe, only fell asleep.

The artist gave a strange name to his painting, which became his most famous - "Step Brothers". Waterhouse has long been looking for the most appropriate name for his first significant work... As the researchers of his work established, he tried quite a few options, in which the degree of kinship of young men changed.

John William Waterhouse Esther Kenworthy

In 1883, the artist Esther Kenworthy became the wife of John Waterhouse, who also gained fame, her paintings were often exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts. The family had two children. Unfortunately, they died at an early age. But the marriage of two creative people, despite this heavy loss, can be called a happy one. In 1885, John Waterhouse was elected a member of the Royal Academy, and 10 years later he became an academician.

Ophelia 1889

Ophelia 1894

On the canvas 1894 - Ophelia is pensively sitting on the shore of the lake.

In 1910, Waterhouse depicts a girl near a small river. She is holding onto a tree, and is already psychologically ready to take the fatal step.

During this time, he creates many portraits of famous people.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, Waterhouse has been actively involved in many public organizations of artists in Great Britain.

His female portraits gained immense fame in almost all countries of the world and are valued not only as works of art, but also acquired by collectors as a profitable investment financial resources.

The painter was able to convey the drama of the situation with great realism, demonstrate excellent compositional techniques and the technique of a great master. But, nevertheless, according to many critics, he gained his popularity thanks to the wondrous charm of his models.

If we look closely at the artist's numerous canvases, we will notice that the heroines of his work were often not just women from myths and legends, but powerful women with a tragic fate.

Today John Waterhouse is one of the most dear artists not only in Britain, but all over the world. For example, in 2006, the painting “Saint Cecilia” was sold at Christie’s auction for £ 6.6 million to the Webber Foundation.

GALLERY OF WORKS OF THE ARTIST.

Saint Cecilia.

John William Waterhouse .The magic circle.

The painting depicts a witch or sorceress outlining a fiery magic circle in order to create a space for the exercise of witchcraft.

The witch's strength is underscored by her decisive facial expression, her exclusion from the circle of crows and frogs - popular symbols of magic at the time - and her control over the plume of smoke emerging from the cauldron. The pillar, instead of fluttering to the sides or swaying under the influence of the wind, remains straight.

The picture was very positively received by critics and the public.

John William Waterhouse. Pick roses quickly. 1909

The painting depicts beautiful girls picking flowers in a wide meadow. The title is borrowed from the 17th century poem "Virgins: Hurry to Catch Up" by Robert Herrick. The poet, glorifying the joys of youth and spring, advises to abandon modesty and put on a wedding dress as soon as possible, because youth is fleeting and “the moment of sunset is getting closer and closer”.

Pick roses quickly
Everything is subject to aging
Flowers that are now sweeter than everyone
Become a shadow tomorrow.

The first version of the painting "Pick the roses as soon as possible", 1908 g.

Waterhouse, John William ... Miranda and the Tempest

Miranda is a naive 15-year-old girl, the only daughter of a duke Prospero ... She and her father became hermits on the island through the fault of her uncle Antonio, who wanted to take the throne. Miranda lives on desert island from 3 years old. Once, due to a storm, their fellow countrymen, the Neapolitans, among whom was the young prince Ferdinand, were shipwrecked and also ended up on this island.

Duke Prospero, who is a magician, sends Ariel , the spirit that serves him, behind Ferdinand and organizes the matter so that the prince and Miranda fall in love with each other. The preparations for the wedding were the reason for the return of the Duke and Miranda to civilization.

Fate.

"Psyche opens the door to the garden of Eros", 1904

Decameron.

Hylas and nymphs.

Diogenes.

Tristan and Isolde

Circe.

Waterhouse John William, english artist... John William Waterhouse was born in Rome in 1849, the son of an artist. In the 1850s, the family returned to England. In the early 1870s, before entering the Royal Academic School, Waterhouse helped his father in his studio. Waterhouse studied painting and sculpture under the guidance of the artist Pickersgill. Waterhouse's early work on classical themes in the spirit of Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadem and Frederick Leighton has been shown at the Royal Academy of Art, the Society of British Artists and the Dudley Painting Gallery.

In the late 1870s and 1880s, Waterhouse made several trips to Italy. After his marriage to Esther Kenworthy in 1883, Waterhouse settled at Primrose Hill Studios. Artists Arthur Rackham and Patrick Caulfield also lived there. In 1884, Waterhouse achieved recognition, his painting The Lady of Shallot (1884, Tate Gallery, London) was acquired by Sir Henry Tate, after an exhibition at the Academy. The paintings of this period show the growth of Waterhouse's interest in themes associated with the Pre-Raphaelites, especially in the creation of images of tragic or powerful fatal women (Circe Invidiosa, 1892; Cleopatra, 1890; Circe, enticing Odysseus, 1891 and other paintings), as well as in plein air painting. In 1885, John William Waterhouse was elected to the Royal Academy, became an academician in 1895. Waterhouse's diploma work was the painting of Nereid (modified by the master, the final version of the painting in 1901).

In the mid-1880s, Waterhouse exhibited extensively at the Grosvenor Gallery, New Gallery, and provincial exhibitions in Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester. Paintings from this period were widely exhibited in England and abroad as part of the international Symbolist movement. In the early 1890s, Waterhouse began painting portraits. Since the 1900s, he has been actively involved in various public organizations of artists and art workers in England. The artist's painting is often referred to as the Pre-Raphaelites, although Waterhouse did not formally belong to this movement.

During his life, Waterhouse wrote more than two hundred paintings on mythological, historical and literary plots... Waterhouse shared the Pre-Raphaelite interest in subjects borrowed from poetry and mythology. He accurately conveyed the drama of the moment, demonstrated a brilliant mastery of composition and painting technique. However, the artist owes his enduring popularity most of all to the charm of his brooding models (it is believed that the artist's wife was the model when writing the painting "Lady of Shallot").

In 1908-1914, Waterhouse created a number of paintings based on literary and mythological subjects (Miranda, Tristan and Isolde, Psyche, Persephone and others). In these paintings, the artist paints his favorite model, recently identified by Waterhouse researchers, Ken and Katie Baker, as Miss Muriel Foster. Very little is known about the private life of Waterhouse - only a few letters have survived to our time and, in fact, for many years the personalities of his models remained a secret. It is also known from the memoirs of contemporaries that Mary Lloyd, the model of Lord Leighton's masterpiece Flaming June, posed for Waterhouse as well. Despite suffering from the onset of the disease, Waterhouse continued to actively paint during the last ten years of his life until his death from cancer in 1917. The artist's wife Esther Waterhouse survived her husband by 27 years, having died in a private sanatorium in 1944.

John William Waterhouse was born in April 1849 in the capital of Italy. His parents were quite famous artists. When the boy grew up a little, the family decided to return to London for permanent residence, after several years in Italy.

From the early childhood John saw how his parents were engaged in painting, other artists, poets and musicians often visited their house. The very atmosphere of the Eternal City also conjured up special dreams associated with beautiful sculptures, amazing fountains, majestic buildings and architectural monuments that adorned Rome, giving it a special charm and distinguishing it from many European cities. It was the totality of all the circumstances of John's childhood that led his work to the so-called late Pre-Raphaelism. However, it is worth noting that Waterhouse never formally belonged to this movement.

There is no doubt that the image of Rome is forever imprinted in the heart of the artist. He often painted the heroines of his paintings against the backdrop of Italian landscapes. Basically, the artist depicted female images borrowed from ancient myths, legends and some works of literature of mystical or historical content, mainly of the Renaissance. Waterhouse is considered one of the brightest representatives of this trend, which preached the cult of the Beautiful Lady or a woman goddess, who in many ways sought to imitate the works of the great Raphael, interpreting female images in their own way.

The boy received his first lessons in painting, composition, perspective and color combination from his father. Art surrounded him all his life and he absorbed love for him literally with the milk of his mother-artist. Family and close friends often called him "Nino".

Another painter who also had a significant influence on the early work of Waterhouse was the English Baron Frederick Leighton, who is a prominent representative of Victorian academism, the so-called salon art, also somewhat close to the Pre-Raphaelites.

But, we emphasize that the imitation was relatively short-lived and very soon John Waterhouse developed his own style in which classicism, romanticism, fantasy and reality were harmoniously combined. Some works can be attributed to impressionism.

Paintings on classical themes were exhibited not only at his place of study, but also at the Society of English Artists and the Dudley Gallery and were a great success, attracting attention with romantic and dreamy subjects.

The painting, based on ancient Greek mythology, depicts two young men who have only recently played the flutes, who have remained lying in a corner on a small round bedside table. The music seemed to have a strong hypnotic effect on them, and they dozed off in almost the same position in which they were engaged in music. One of the young people is holding bright red poppies that have not yet withered. Most likely, this young man is a Dream, because even the flowers, as if lulled by the beautiful music of a pipe, only fell asleep.

The artist gave a strange name to his painting, which became his most famous - "Step Brothers". For a long time Waterhouse was looking for the most appropriate title for his first significant work. As the researchers of his work established, he tried quite a few options, in which the degree of kinship of young men changed. Recall that in the original the picture is called "Sleep and His Half Brother Death". In the Russian translation, you can find the words "native", "half-blood" and even "twin brother". In some publications on foreign art, the name of this painting is found as "Hypnos and Thanatos." According to myths Ancient Greece, Sleep and Death are twin brothers. Their mother, the goddess of the night, is Necta, and their father is the god of darkness, Erebus, who is at the same time their uncle.

John Waterhouse in Foggy Albion clearly lacked inspiration, and he repeatedly made trips to his beloved unique sunny Italy, steeped in legends and myths. Ancient rome... Here the artist eagerly absorbed the bright images of Italians and the uniqueness of the nature of this peninsula.

The works of this period clearly show the painter's interest in the themes of Pre-Raphaelism, the depiction of tragic moments in the destinies of powerful women ("Circe Invidiosa", "Cleopatra", "Circe, enticing Odyssey", others), as well as open-air painting.

However, Waterhouse painted many paintings on the plots of English legends, including the famous King Arthur. One of these canvases is "Lady of Shallot" (1888), which tells the story of Elaine from Estolat, who died of her love for the knight Lancelot, one of the characters in the legend of King Arthur and the character of the famous and Russian reader of Alfred Tennyson's poem "The Sorceress of Shallot". The girl is under a curse: she must spend her whole life in captivity in one of the impregnable towers on a small island of Shallot and continuously weave tapestries. She is forbidden to look out the windows, but on the wall opposite from the window there is a mirror, which reflects everything that happens behind these blank walls. Elaine occasionally looks in the mirror and appears on her beautiful tapestries real pictures that she sees in this magic mirror. But once in the mirror, she suddenly sees a beautiful young man, Sir Lancelot. The recluse breaks the condition and looks out of a small window. This involuntary action leads to tragedy: the mirror cracks, but the girl somehow mysteriously manages to escape. On the bank of a small river, she sees a boat, climbs into it and directs it in the direction where Lancelot rushed on horseback. The sad melody that the girl sings becomes her "swan" farewell song and she dies.

In total, Waterhouse wrote three versions based on this poem. On the first of them, the artist depicted a girl in a boat. Her eyes are sad and directed into the unknown distance. Perhaps there is waiting for her great true love for the knight, who flickered for a moment in the window. White robe symbolizes purity and innocence. At the stern, you can see a beautiful, not yet completely finished tapestry, part of which is in the water. The gorgeous landscape is rather gloomy as a reminder of Italy. Departing from the Pereraphaelite traditions, the painter wrote it without specifying individual details, paying all his attention, devoting to the heroine.

Subsequently, the painter creates two more canvases on this topic. In 1894, the painting "The Lady of Shallot looks at Lancelot" appeared, where the girl is depicted at the moment when she looks out of the window and sees the knight. Threads are wrapped around her pale fawn dress, and a cracked mirror can be seen behind her back. The girl's face expresses the first feelings for what she was deprived of.

In 1911, the artist wrote the third version of this plot "Shadows Pursue Me". Note that this is a completely different image, which emphasizes her scarlet dress, in contrast to the previous options. Here is already shown not naive girl rather sensual Lady. A small cozy room is illuminated by bright rays of the sun. The pose of the heroine rather resembles a bored young lady who will not languish locked up for a long time, but will succumb to the temptation to look at the real, not a fictional world. Perhaps his wife posed for this picture.

Another favorite heroine of the artist is Ophelia. In 1889, the painter depicts her in a meadow, surrounded by grass and dull wildflowers. Almost the entire space of the picture is occupied by the image of a slender girl. It can be seen that the author admires his heroine. On the canvas 1894 - Ophelia is pensively sitting on the shore of the lake. In 1910, Waterhouse depicts a girl near a small river. She is holding onto a tree, and is already psychologically ready to take the fatal step. During this time, he creates many portraits of famous people.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, Waterhouse has been actively involved in many public organizations of artists in Great Britain.

During his life, Waterhouse created more than 200 paintings. His works have visited numerous exhibitions in England and around the world, as part of the Symbolist movement, and everywhere were a resounding success. They were admired not only by the adherents of Symbolism or Pre-Raphaelism, but also by ordinary spectators. There is something in these canvases that cannot leave a person indifferent, even who first became acquainted with the work of the famous English painter. Everyone will find in them something close to his worldview and read the plot in his own way. Perhaps this is the great power of real art.

His portraits of women have gained immense fame in almost all countries of the world and are valued not only as works of art, but are also acquired by collectors as a profitable investment of funds. The painter was able to convey the drama of the situation with great realism, demonstrate an excellent mastery of compositional techniques and techniques of a great master. But, nevertheless, according to many critics, he gained his popularity thanks to the wondrous charm of his models.

If we look closely at the artist's numerous canvases, we will notice that the heroines of his work were often not just women from myths and legends, but powerful women with a tragic fate.

It is these circumstances that make Waterhouse choose the brightest images from the subconscious.

To our great regret, about his personal life very little is known - only a few letters have survived. Even his models, who posed for him when creating paintings, for a long time were an insoluble mystery for researchers of his work.

On some canvases, the features of the same model are clearly visible. Not so long ago, researchers of the work of this great artist identified her personality. This is Miss Muriel Foster, who was painted in the form of Miranda, Isolde, Psyche and some others. Posed for the artist and Mary Lloyd, whose image can be seen on Lord Leighton's masterpiece "Flaming June".

Despite severe pains due to a serious illness, the artist, in the last decade of his life, was still actively engaged in painting. He did not let go of his hands until the very last hour.

John Waterhouse passed away from cancer in February 1917, buried in London at the Kensal Green cemetery.

In 1992, his image appeared on a UK postage stamp.

Esther Waterhouse survived her husband by 27 years and died in 1944.

Today John Waterhouse is one of the most expensive artists not only in Britain, but throughout the world. For example, in 2006, the painting “Saint Cecilia” was sold at Christie’s auction for £ 6.6 million to the Webber Foundation.

"Hypnosis and His Brother Thanatos" 1874

In the 1880s, Waterhouse made several trips to Italy. In 1883, after his marriage to Esther Kenworthy, Waterhouse settled in Primrose Hill Studios.

"Favorite Emperor Honorius" 1883

The artists Arthur Rackham and Patrick Caulfield lived with him.

"Lady of Shallot"

"Study for the painting" Lady of Shallot "

In 1884, John Waterhouse achieved success, his painting "The Lady of Shallot" was acquired by Sir Henry Tate after an exhibition at the Academy. The paintings of this period demonstrate the growing interest of Waterhouse to the themes of the Pre-Raphaelites, in particular, to the creation of images of tragic or fatal women: "Cleopatra", "Circe of Invidiosa", "Circe seducing the Odyssey." Also, the artist was imbued with painting plein air.

"Diogenes" 1882

"Address to the oracle" 1882

The Magic Circle 1886

"Cleopatra" 1888

"Penelope Waiting for the Odyssey" 1890

"Odysseus and the Sirens" 1891

"Circe Offers a Cup to Ulysses" 1891

"Circe" 1892

He loved to portray Ophelia. In one of his paintings, Ophelia is shown sitting near the lake before her death.

"Ophelia" 1889

"Ophelia" 1894

"Ophelia"

"Ophelia" 1910

Other Ophelia appeared between 1894 and 1910.

In 1885, John Waterhouse was elected to the Royal Academy, and became an academician only in 1895.

"Echo and Narcissus" 1903

"Saint Tsicily"

"Study for gather ye rosebu"

"Miss Margaret Henderson" 1900

"Рortrait of mrs Сharles Schreiber" 1912

In the 1880s, Waterhouse exhibited his canvases at the New Gallery, as well as at provincial exhibitions in Liverpool and Manchester. Paintings from this period were widely exhibited in England and abroad as a reflection of the international Symbolist movement.

In the 1890s, Waterhouse began painting portraits.

"Crystal ball" 1902

He takes part in various social organizations of artists and art workers.

Despite suffering from the onset of the disease, Waterhouse continued to actively engage in painting during the last ten years of his life.

Apollo and Daphne 1908

Quite often he is referred to as the Pre-Raphaelites, although he did not formally belong to this movement.

During his life, he painted about 200 canvases on mythological, historical and literary themes.

Waterhouse supported the idea of the Pre-Raphaelites in borrowing plots from poetry and mythology.

He conveyed the drama of the moment with particular accuracy, and also demonstrated a brilliant mastery of composition and painting technique. The artist owes his popularity to the charm and charm of his brooding models (according to some sources, when writing the painting "Lady of Shallot", the artist's wife was the model).

Waterhouse's work was praised by critics, his reputation was high, and he was imitated by young artists.

He belongs to those few artists who gained fame during their lifetime and could live in abundance thanks to their works.

John William Waterhouse suffered from cancer during the last two years of his life, from which he died in 1917.

He was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery in London.

"Fisherman and Siren"

"Nymphs who saw the head of Orpheus" 1900

"Hylas and Nymphs" 1896

"MIRANDA and the storm" 1916

"Danaids" 1904

"I am half -sick of shadows, said the lady of shalott"

"Pandora"

"Ariadne" 1898

"Jason and Medea" 1890

"Wildflowers" 1902

"Flora" 1890

"Daffodils" 1912

"Study for the painting" Naida "

"Juliet" 1898

"Offering gifts"

"Nereid" 1900

"Psyche opens a golden box"

"Listening to My Sweet Pipings" 1911

"Boreas" Study 1904

Northwind (North Wind) 1903

"Marianna" 1897

"La Belle Dame Sans Merci" 1893

"La Belle Dame Sans Merci" (Study) 1893

"The Beautiful Woman Without Mercy" "To a beautiful lady" 1893

"Mariamne leaving the Judgment Seat of Herod" 1887

"The Beautiful Rosamund" 1917

"Decameron" 1916

"Dante and Beatrice" 1916

"The death of Adonis"

"In its vague depths"

"My favorite roses" 1903

"Gathering almond blossoms"

"In the Peristyle" 1874

"Flora" 1891

"Orange Pickers" 1890

"My beautiful roses" 1908 "Pick the roses as soon as possible" the first version of the picture

"Pick the roses as soon as possible" 1909

"Portrait of a Girl" 1910

"Portrait of a Young Woman" 1875-1878

"Spring Spreads One Green Lap of Flowers" 1910

"The Charmer" 1911

"The Enchanted Garden" 1916

"The Mystic Wood" 1914-1917

"A Greek Play" 1880

"Esther Kenworthy Waterhouse" 1885

"Female Study" 1894

"St Eulalia" 1885

"Study of a Female Figure with Rosary" 1890

"Portrait of a Girl"

"A Song of Springtime" 1913

John William Waterhouse is a classic of English painting of the late 19th - early 20th centuries, one of the most expensive and popular artists in Great Britain (his painting "Saint Cecilia" at Christie's was sold for 6 million pounds sterling). But, regardless of the price of his works, it's just very good artist, who for a long time was not as famous in Russia as he deserves. He created an amazing gallery of female images, choosing myths or old literary works as the subjects of his paintings.

Lady of Shallot, 1884 (Lady of Shallot - Elaine or the Lily Maiden, a character in the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, a girl who died of unrequited love for Lancelot)

Waterhouse has always protected his privacy from prying eyes, so little is known about him, except for the most basic milestones of his biography. And there was nothing left except a few accidentally escaped letters that could clarify the secrets of his life.

Fate. 1900

Waterhouse was born in 1849 in Rome, in the family of an artist, but his family soon returned to England. The future artist took his first painting lessons from his father, and at the age of 21 he entered the Royal Academic School at the Royal Academy of Arts. The early works of the master, exhibited at the Royal Academy and famous galleries, aroused great interest in the young artist.

Shrine. 1895

The artist visited Italy several times, and after marrying the artist Esther Kenworthy in 1883 he settled in England. The interest in his work became more and more high, the paintings were acquired for the best collections, including the royal one.

Lamia. 1905

The artist's two children died early, nevertheless, his marriage was happy - the couple, having gone through a common grief, rallied and dedicated their lives to each other.

Jason and Medea. 1890

Ophelia. 1889

Waterhouse was classified as a Symbolist. Some researchers believed that he was part of the Pre-Raphaelites, but officially the artist did not belong to any artistic groupings.

Soul of a rose. 1908

In 1885, Waterhouse was elected to the Royal Academy of Art, and ten years later became an academician.

Nereid. 1901

During his life, Waterhouse wrote more than 200 paintings on mythological and literary subjects.

Sorceress. 1911

The last years of the artist were complicated by a serious illness, but he continued to work just as hard. In 1917, he died of cancer. His wife survived him by 27 years.

Psyche opens the door to the garden of Eros. 1904