The Lady of Shalott, 1888

Emanating a wistful sense of tragedy, John William Waterhouse’s “Lady of Shalott” illustrates Tennyson’s 1883 poem depicts the fate of an isolated woman who becomes cursed when she falls in love with Lancelot. A Neo-Classical artist inspired by the Pre-Raphaelite style and themes, Waterhouse (1849 – 1917) usually painted doomed or powerful women. Achieving popularity in his lifetime, Waterhouse created more than 200 paintings.