Hylas and the Nymphs (1896)
by John William Waterhouse (English, 1849–1917)
John William Waterhouse was one of the last great painters of the Pre-Raphaelite tradition — working decades after the movement's peak, he continued to paint women from classical mythology with a lushness and psychological intensity that set him apart from his contemporaries. Hylas and the Nymphs is among his most celebrated works, and one of the most reproduced paintings of the Victorian era.
The painting depicts a moment from Greek mythology: Hylas, the young companion of Heracles, has gone ashore to fetch water during the Argonauts' voyage. Seven Naiads — water nymphs — emerge from a lily-covered pond, their alabaster skin luminous against the dark water, flowers woven into their auburn hair. They are beautiful and they are dangerous. Hylas reaches toward them, already lost.
Waterhouse frames the scene from a slightly elevated angle, placing the viewer above the action — a witness to the abduction rather than a participant in it. The nymphs' expressions are not cruel. That is what makes the painting so unsettling.
Rectangle Canvas Wrap
Gallery-quality canvas with fade-resistant inks and a 1.25" deep pine frame sourced from renewable forests. Arrives wrapped and ready to hang.
- Materials: cotton and polyester composite canvas, pine wood frame
- Inner frame: radiata pine from renewable forests
- Leveling bumpers included for wall protection
- Ready to hang — mounting hardware pre-attached
Care: Dust gently with a clean, damp cloth as needed.