THE BEAUTY OF WATERHOUSE MERMAID PAINTING

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It is rightly said that the greatest inspiration for the creation of masterwork is another piece of art. A prime example of this is A Mermaid, a remarkable piece of art painted by the renowned English painter, John William Waterhouse in 1900. This masterpiece got its inspiration from a mesmerizing poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson, which defines the feminine charm with great panache.

 A Pre-Raphaelite artist, Waterhouse was famous for his paintings of female characters inspired from literature and mythology. He was well-known to closely intertwine characteristics of a woman’s beauty with fairy-tale subjects, preferably Greek or Roman legends.

However ‘A Mermaid’ is one of his classic works based upon the Slavic themes, which was prominent among painters in the Pre-Raphaelite era of the art movement.

The poetic inspiration

Art critics believe that Waterhouse’s painting was inspired by Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem The Mermaid (1830). The lines upon which the painting is based are as follows-

Who would be
A mermaid fair,
Singing alone,
Combing her hair?

Tennyson’s poem perfectly describes the story of a mermaid who is seeking and finding love among the mermen of the sea.

Of the bold merry mermen under the sea.
They would sue me, and woo me, and flatter me,
In the purple twilights under the sea;
But the king of them all would carry me,
Woo me, and win me, and marry me.

The theme of the Painting

At first glance, the theme of the artwork appears to be pure-minded. However, here the artist attempts to depict a darker side to this mythologic creature, where her elegant femininity is a trap to lure men. Furthermore, experts hypothesize that the pearls found in the scene may have been directly from sailors’ tears as they passed away. Moreover, she looks more alluring than lonely which further substantiates the artist’s intention of using a darker symbolism.

Whilst images of the original painting can differ in color balances, depending on how they were taken, most underlines the beautiful red hair added to the mermaid. John William Waterhouse saw hair color as an important way of differentiating his female figures, with many of their other features being fairly similar in terms of build, facial features, and skin color.

Composition of the painting

Unlike the work of his contemporary artists, Waterhouse adopted an unusual composition in this painting. There is little light, little shadow, and everything is monotonous. Moreover, there are almost no glares, so the objects seem flat and glued. Additionally, even the Mermaid looks artificially placed in front of the background.

Furthermore, the prominent usage of contrast and darkness is a strikingly unconventional feature of this artwork. While the large details in the frame are divided into horizontal and vertical planes, and small ones – it is a bowl with beads and a scattering of stones on the shore which instantly draws the attention of the viewer.

The fairy-tale maid comes across as cold, sad and deadly pale. Furthermore, the Mermaid is combing her long hair, dividing the tangled mop up into small strands. Also, the looming silence that reigns around gives a feeling of anxiety and longing.

The magical serenity of the painting

The most alluring fact about this marvellous piece of art is the magical feeling that it succeeds to resonate. It is reminiscent of fairy tales and fantasy stories of childhood. The mermaid appears to be so like a real woman that the viewer is almost tricked into believing that she is just as human as themselves and not a half woman- half fish.

To add to the charm, the water and rocks surrounding her also add to the painting and give off a distinct fairy tale feeling. When you look at the masterpiece it seems as if the subject is looking far out into the distance and trying to find what lies around a rock.

This curiosity to see what lies around the rocks creates the urgency and the awareness that she has to keep her guard up anyone can see her.  But you will observe that although she mustn’t be seen, there is the lingering wish if someone would come along.

The Review

Waterhouse received massive appreciation for his depiction of the feminine beauty in this wonderful piece of art. In fact, when the work was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1901 the Art Journal (p.182) noted the ‘wistful-sad look’ of the mermaid.

In fact, the review read that the subject narrates the relatable story of human longings that can never be satisfied. ‘The chill of the sea lies ever on her heart; the endless murmur of the waters is a poor substitute for the sound of human voices; never can this beautiful creature, troubled with emotion, experience, on the one hand, unawakened repose, on the other the joys of womanhood’.

Perfect Place to get the Painting’s Reproduction

It would be a matter of immense pride for any art enthusiast to possess the reproduction of a painting that carries such a strong legacy. However, it is important to keep in mind that any compromise in the quality would be disrespect towards a painting of such high stature.

Therefore, the best place to find an exquisite and authentic reproduction of A Mermaid is the online portal 1st Art Gallery. 

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