John William Waterhouse Prints - Artist Biography
John William Waterhouse is one of the central figures in English Pre-Raphaelite art. He lived from 1849 to 1917 and his work changed and evolved greatly with the arc of the Pre-Raphaelites. His early work focuses on Greek and Roman history and mythology, as does that of many of his contemporaries. Later, he turned to literature, and overt Romanticism informed his works.
While his subject matter and composition would identify Waterhouse as a Pre-Raphaelite, his unique style sets him somewhat apart. There is a depth to his work that comes from the way he painted that is unlike that of his peers. There is an unabashed sensuality and richness in many of his most famous works that remains engaging today, though nowhere near as stimulating as it was to the typ
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ical Victorian nerves.
In pieces like The Lady of Shalott and Hylas and the Nymphs, Waterhouse's favor for Romanticism is in full flower. His subject matter is often lone figures displayed against backgrounds of lush greenery, as in his portrait of Shakespeare's Ophelia. She, like many of the women in Waterhouse's work, is painted seeming to have full knowledge of the tragic direction her story will take.
At Poster Checkout, we have a wide selection of Waterhouse's work for sale. Many come in different sizes and shapes, to accommodate both your aesthetic tastes and the constraints of the space you need to fill. Best of all, our prices are among the lowest you'll find anywhere on the Internet, so you'll be able to get all of the prints you want and still save!