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J. W.
Waterhouse: Garden of Enchantment
It is always a renewed pleasure to go to an exhibition at the
museum. Last Sunday, we went to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
who was hosting J. W. Waterhouse: Garden of Enchantment, the
largest-ever retrospective of works by the celebrated British artist
John William Waterhouse (1849-1917).
Associated with the Pre-Raphaelites, I didn’t really understand: him
in 1860, Raphaël in the Renaissance! But the dictionary gave me an
explanation: “Said of British painters of the middle of the XIXth
century who wanted to reinvent painting by the imitation of the
Italian painters former to Raphaël.”
The Italy of Pompeii with the elegant and charming female, the
interiors of pillars and marble, the beauty and the simplicity of
the medieval world. This all refers to the some 80 featured works
inspired of Rome and Greece antiques, of Lady of Shalott, Cleopatra,
Circe, Lamia, the Sirens tormenting Ulysses, and Mariamne condemned
to death.
The entire production of Waterhouse is impressed of sensuality.
Although using bright colours, I would rather say, strong, it is not
loud at all. He succeeds too in making a drape alive, in moulding a
breast with a so light fabric, and sometimes so transparent that you
can feel the life vibrate underneath.
His light is magnificent, sculpting a shade to dramatize the glance,
or allowing to depict the theatrical atmosphere of a scene.
The glances of its characters impressed me; by their intensity,
their dramatic load, they were increasing the intensity of the
scene. As well, the movement, the gestures were giving strength to
the scenery. By the sharpness and the delicacy of his brush stroke,
Waterhouse transmit very precisely the significance, the spirit and
the emotion he wants to give to his work.
In one of the galleries, many of the artist’s studies in oil, chalk
and pencil were presented. That was interesting to look at some of
the related originals elsewhere in the exhibition. It was obvious
while going through that room that the artist has always sketched,
and not only drafts, but more comprehensive drawings and paintings.
Should it be sketches for faces or postures to find the exact
appearance to give to a character; should it be an oil study that is
so close to be an original, and yet, we will find the original
somewhere else with some variations in the composition, and a work
that honestly is a pure beauty. We feel a lot of work and thought to
achieve the final work. It is very impressive.
Unfortunately the exhibition is over. What remains for you is the
possibility of skimming through the catalogue of the exhibition.
February 13, 2010
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