Head of a Young Girl
John William Waterhouse, 1849-1917
Pencil on paper
6 1/2 x 6 1/8 inches, 16.5 x 15.5 cm.
This finely wrought image, Head of a Young Girl, simple as it is, represents Waterhouse's vision of female beauty. According to Anthony Hobson, "His models provide a theme of interest in themselves ... the paintings show how as the years went by he continually sought his ideal vision of womanhood, rather than some character type adapted to each new subject. The remarkable thing is that he found her and remained faithful to her