“Our sweetest songs are those that tell of the saddest thought” –Percy Bysshe Shelley At what point in human history did we decide that in music,…
In The Tempest, Shakespeare tells us the story of Prospero, duke of Milan. Prospero was dethroned by his brother Antonio and abandoned at sea with…
After my post about Clytie changing into the sunflower, I’ve been pondering transformations. Lamia is perhaps my favorite example of a dramatic transformation. Based on…
William Holman Hunt’s Isabella and the Pot of Basil is currently in the news with the recent announcement that the Delaware Art museum will be…
“He does not love me for my birth, Nor for my lands so broad and fair; He loves me for my own true worth, And…
In The Magic Circle, a lone sorceress casts her spell while surrounded by ravens in a desolate landscape. No lush greenery here, Waterhouse has placed…
And on the liquid mirror glow’d The clear perfection of her face, ‘Is this the form,’ she made her moan, ‘That won his praises night…
She was engaged once, although she has pushed it out of her mind. He loved her and was endowed with a large enough fortune to…
There are many artistic representations of Circe. Previous posts on this blog include Circe Invidiosa and The Wine of Circe. Kirsty Stonell Walker explores Circe…
Zephyrus The Awakener Come, thou awakener of the spirit’s ocean, Zephyr, whom to thy cloud or cave No thought can trace! speed with thy gentle…
I love how names from ancient mythology still permeate our language. They do not shrivel and fall away. They persist. Today we use the word…
Pre-Raphaelite art has its critics. I feel like many of them don’t actually look at the paintings or consider an artist’s individual work. They give…
Apparently I can not resist their lure and mermaids have become my theme of the week. Previously I shared that I had read Undine, which…
Waterhouse is an adept at blending feminine beauty and mystery. Here he depicts the goddess Circe amidst shades of greens and blues, creating a world that…
Link: The Royal Academy has announced a 2009 exhibit of 40 Waterhouse paintings. Sketches and drawings will be shown as well. June 27 – Sept.…
Ophelia is a captivating character, one that inspired many of the Pre-Raphaelites and other Victorian artists. For those unfamiliar with Ophelia, she is Hamlet’s innocent …
Magic and witchcraft can be depicted as ugly and dark in art as in William Blake’s Hecate, but Pre-Raphaelite artists embrace its beauty and mysticism.…
In an earlier post, I shared with you the recently redesigned johnwilliamwaterhouse.com. The works of John William Waterhouse are instantly recognizable for their beautiful, ethereal…
Stunning new video making connections between the art of John WIlliam Waterhouse and the stage stars of his era. I love the feminine beauty of…
