One of my favorite painters is John W. Waterhouse, who also happens to be my favorite of the Pre-Raphaelites. The Portland Art Museum in a clear bid to make birthday month that much happier is currently hosting an exhibit from the Delaware Art Museum. While I am unsure of whether there will be any Waterhouse, I do know that the exhibit features works by Rossetti, Hunt, and Millais.
Hopefully there will be some Waterhouse too. I have always preferred him to Rosetti, even though he seems to be more recognized. Rosetti's women are all pouty lipped and have a generic Rosetti look about them. Plus, they always look like they've just smelled something really nasty or have just been forced to take a chug of rotten skim milk. I believe they're modelled after a woman he knew. Maybe she was prone to eating things that didn't sit well with her. All I know is that his women all tend to look the same, just with different hair. I'll have to do a bit more research on her. I know I read about her in one of my art books somewhere.
At any rate, Waterhouse's faces somehow have always felt to me to have more depth and character to them, even though I suppose one could argue that there are similarities among his female figures as well. Either way, they are beautiful. (Just look at the detail in the sketch - the folds of her robe, the graceful curve of her fingers, the expression on her face...) I really do enjoy all the Pre-Raphaelites and am very excited to see the exhibit later this week!
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