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A Mermaid – John William Waterhouse: Full Analysis

John William Waterhouse’s painting A Mermaid (1900) is an iconic work from the late Pre-Raphaelite movement. This oil painting on canvas portrays a mermaid, a mythical figure often linked to seduction and tragedy, basking in a melancholic and mysterious atmosphere. Waterhouse’s themes of feminine beauty, mythology, and the interaction between the human and fantastical worlds are strongly present in this piece.

Historical and Artistic Context

Waterhouse, born in 1849 and passing in 1917, is often considered a later Pre-Raphaelite artist, joining the movement later in his career. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood aimed to reject the conventional academic art standards of Victorian England and return to a style more aligned with nature. Their works were often detailed, vibrant, and filled with themes from literature, poetry, and mythology.

Waterhouse’s fascination with solitary, melancholic female figures, often drawn from myths and legends, is evident in A Mermaid. The painting echoes his earlier work, The Lady of Shalott (1888), inspired by Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem. Similarly, A Mermaid is thought to be influenced by Tennyson’s The Mermaid (1830), a poem where the mermaid longs to live among humans but remains trapped in her aquatic world.

Visual Analysis

In A Mermaid, Waterhouse presents a mermaid sitting on rocks at the water’s edge, sensually combing her long hair. The figure, though beautiful, conveys a sense of sorrow and isolation. The tranquil sea contrasts with the inner turmoil and complex emotions of the mermaid. The composition centers on the mermaid, drawing the viewer’s focus to her loneliness, enhanced by the surrounding marine environment.

Her downcast gaze and melancholic expression suggest deep contemplation of her condition. Waterhouse’s skillful use of color—blues, greens, and grays for the water and environment, warmer tones for the mermaid’s skin and hair—creates a soft, somewhat oppressive atmosphere. The lighting in the painting appears to come from an overcast sky, further reinforcing the mood of sadness and reflection.

The attention to detail, a hallmark of the Pre-Raphaelite style, is evident in the natural elements surrounding the mermaid. Shells, seaweed, and pearls are not merely decorative but contribute to the story being told. Pearls, often associated with purity or tears, strengthen the theme of sorrow and isolation.

The Mermaid in Mythology and Literature

In mythology, mermaids are ambiguous figures. They are sometimes seen as benevolent, mysterious beings, and other times as dangerous sirens who lure sailors to their deaths. They represent fatal beauty and unfulfilled desires. A Mermaid explores this duality, focusing on the mermaid’s solitude, caught between the human world she desires and the ocean depths she cannot escape.

Tennyson’s influence, particularly his poem The Mermaid, is evident in the way Waterhouse depicts the character. The sea, in Tennyson’s work, represents both freedom and imprisonment. The mermaid is a figure trapped between two worlds: the mortal realm, which she observes with fascination, and the ocean, to which she belongs. This tension between the desire to live a human life and the impossibility of doing so is a central theme of the painting.

Reception and Criticism

Upon its unveiling, A Mermaid was widely praised for its evocative atmosphere and technical excellence. Critics, such as those writing for The Art Journal in 1901, lauded Waterhouse’s ability to capture feelings of unfulfilled longing and profound sadness. The painting was noted for its “chill of the sea”—a sense of distance and impossibility, heightened by the mermaid’s contemplative posture.

The symbolism of elements like pearls and the still sea was praised for subtly reinforcing the painting’s atmosphere. Critics admired the delicacy of the composition and the richness of its detail, applauding Waterhouse’s ability to evoke universal emotions through a mythological figure.

Legacy and Influence

Today, A Mermaid remains one of John William Waterhouse’s most famous works. It perfectly encapsulates his unique style, blending detailed realism with fantastical subjects. The painting’s influence extends beyond visual art, inspiring literature, music, and even cinema, where the mermaid myth continues to captivate and inspire.

The painting is now housed in the Royal Academy of Arts in London, where it continues to enchant visitors with its timeless beauty and mystery. The mermaid, an enigmatic and symbolic figure, has become an iconic part of Waterhouse’s legacy, representing both escapism, desire, and the inherent sadness of isolation.

Conclusion

John William Waterhouse’s A Mermaid is much more than a depiction of a mythical creature. It is a deep exploration of solitude, desire, and the complex emotions that lie beneath the surface of beauty and calm. Waterhouse, a true master of visual storytelling, manages to make a mythical scene a poignant reflection on human conditions. The mermaid, trapped in her watery world, embodies the aspiration for something greater but also the inaccessibility of those dreams.

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Waterhouse:
1500 — 1960

An exhibition about the different representations of the ocean throughout time, between the sixteenth and the twentieth century. Taking place in our Open Room in Floor 2.

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