John William Waterhouse facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids John William Waterhouse
Waterhouse, circa 1886
Born	(1849-04-06)6 April 1849 Rome, Roman Republic (now Rome, Italy)
Died	10 February 1917(1917-02-10) (aged 67) London, England
Nationality	British
Works	Hylas and the Nymphs The Lady of Shalott The Magic Circle Ophelia A Mermaid
Movement	Pre-Raphaelite
Spouse(s)	Esther Kenworthy Waterhouse

John William Waterhouse (born 6 April 1849 – died 10 February 1917) was a famous English painter. He first painted in a style called Academic art. Later, he adopted the style of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. His art is well-known for showing women from ancient Greek mythology and stories about King Arthur.

Waterhouse was born in Rome, Italy. His parents were both painters. Later, he moved to London, England. There, he joined the Royal Academy of Art. He quickly started showing his large paintings at their yearly exhibitions. These paintings often showed scenes from daily life or myths from ancient Greece. Many of his ideas came from famous writers like Homer, Ovid, Shakespeare, and Tennyson.

Today, you can see Waterhouse's art in many big museums and galleries. The Royal Academy of Art even held a special show of his work in 2009.

Who Was John William Waterhouse?
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Who Was John William Waterhouse?

His Early Years

John William Waterhouse was born in Rome in 1849. His parents, William and Isabella Waterhouse, were also painters. The exact day he was born is not known. However, he was baptized on April 6. Some experts believe he was born in January. Living in Italy when he was young influenced his art. Many of his later paintings were set in ancient Rome. Others were based on Roman mythology.

In 1854, the Waterhouse family moved back to England. They settled in a new house in South Kensington, London. This area was close to the Victoria and Albert Museum. John, who was nicknamed 'Nino', grew up in an artistic family. He was encouraged to draw from a young age. He often sketched artworks he saw at the British Museum and the National Gallery. In 1871, he joined the Royal Academy of Art school. He first studied sculpture, but then switched to painting.

Starting His Art Career

Waterhouse's first paintings were not in the Pre-Raphaelite style. Instead, they focused on classical themes. This was similar to artists like Alma-Tadema and Frederic Leighton. He showed these early works at places like the Dudley Museum and Art Gallery. In 1874, his painting Sleep and his Half-brother Death was shown at the Royal Academy summer exhibition.

This painting was a big success. After that, Waterhouse showed his art at the yearly exhibition almost every year until 1916. He became very popular in the London art world. In 1876, his painting After the Dance was given a special spot at the summer exhibition. Because of his success, his paintings often became larger and larger.

His Famous Paintings and Later Life

In 1883, Waterhouse married Esther Kenworthy. She was also an artist who painted flowers. In 1895, Waterhouse became a full member of the Royal Academy. He also taught at the St. John's Wood Art School. He was part of the Royal Academy Council too.

One of Waterhouse's most famous subjects is The Lady of Shalott. This painting shows a character from a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. The Lady of Shalott dies from a curse after looking directly at the knight Lancelot. Waterhouse painted this character three times: in 1888, 1894, and 1916.

Another favorite subject for Waterhouse was Ophelia. She is a character from Shakespeare's play Hamlet. His most well-known painting of Ophelia shows her just before she dies. She is putting flowers in her hair while sitting on a tree branch over a lake. Like The Lady of Shalott, this painting shows a woman dying near water. Waterhouse may have been inspired by other artists' paintings of Ophelia. He painted Ophelia again in 1894 and around 1909 or 1910. He had plans for another painting called Ophelia in the Churchyard.

Waterhouse could not finish all his Ophelia paintings. He became very ill with cancer by 1915. He passed away two years later, in 1917. His grave is in Kensal Green Cemetery in London.