“Circe” by John William Waterhouse hauntingly depicts the mythological sorceress of Greek literature spitefully offering an enchanted potion. A member of the Royal Academy, Waterhouse (1849 – 1917) merged Victorian narrative with romantic Pre-Raphaelite fantasy in his art. Waterhouse’s work was strongly influenced by classical mythology, history and literature, and the femme fatale is a common theme in many of the 200 works he created, as well as women burdened by misfortune.