Description
“I Am Half-Sick of Shadows,” Said the Lady of Shalott (1915) is a late work by the English Pre-Raphaelite painter John William Waterhouse. Inspired by Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem The Lady of Shalott, the painting captures a moment of quiet introspection. The painting is of a lady sitting at her loom, weaving a tapestry of the world she is forbidden to view directly. A curse doomed her to see life only through a mirror. Her face is contemplative, touched with melancholy, as she expresses her weariness with shadows, like mere reflections of life, rather than life itself.
Waterhouse’s mastery is evident in the painting’s rich textures, warm tones, and the intimate domestic scene. The inclusion of the mirror and the soft candlelight reflect both her isolation and the fragility of her existence. The tension between fate and longing is palpable; she yearns to engage directly with the vibrant world beyond her tower, even at the cost of her life.
John William Waterhouse (1849–1917) was a pivotal figure in the late Pre-Raphaelite and Romantic movements. Though born after the original Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, he embraced their ideals—vivid color, attention to nature, and literary themes. Waterhouse studied at the Royal Academy in London and gained popularity for his mythological and literary subjects, often portraying women in moments of emotional or narrative intensity. Throughout his career, he returned to the figure of the Lady of Shalott multiple times, fascinated by her tragic beauty and poetic symbolism. His work remains celebrated for its sensuality, detail, and timeless romanticism.
