An Eastern Reminiscence

John William Waterhouse, 1849-1917

circa 1874

Oil on canvas, signed 'J W Waterhouse'

9 3/4 x 6 1/2 inches, 24.5 X 16.5 cm

[See commentary below]

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Commentary by Hilary Morgan

Waterhouse's earliest exhibited paintings, at the Society of British Artists in 1872, included a 'Bedouin Woman'. A sketch book of this period included other studies of Arab models (Hobson, 1980). If Waterhouse visited Egypt, this is completely undocumented, and it is more likely that his studies and the present picture were made from ethnic and costumed models in London. In either case all are evidence of a fascination with the Orient which Waterhouse shared with many of his contemporaries, although in his case this did not last beyond his earliest years as an artist. Waterhouse's earliest surviving paintings are Eastern or Classical fantasies which are soft and rather woolly in technique. However in 1873 and 1874 he developed a new interest in the bold application of opaque paint. The present sketch dates from the new painterliness of his work. He also signed his paintings in this form at around this time.

The present work is possibly related to another painting of the same title, exhibited at the Royal Society of British Artists in 1874, number 350.

References

Hobson, Anthony. The Art and Life of J. W. Waterhouse, R.A., p. 191, pl. 136, catalogue of paintings no. 187.

Morgan, Hilary and Nahum, Peter. Burne-Jones, The Pre-Raphaelites and Their Century. London: Peter Nahum, 1989. Catalogue number 161.

Newall, Christopher. A Celebration of British and European Painting of the 19th and 20th Centuries. London: Peter Nahum, nd [1999?]. Pp. 46-47.

Last modified 1 August 2006