Museum Exhibition: John William Waterhouse - Garden of Enchantment

Remember when I talked about Medieval-Fantasy sources for inspiration, I mentioned Pre-Raphaelite paintings? I love that style in late 19th century art, it is so dreamy and it was part of the Victorian Medieval Revival (of course, they had no archaeological information on which they based their vision of the Middle-Ages, but it led to beautiful Fantasy images).

The Lady of Shalott, John William Waterhouse, 1888, Oil on canvas, 153 cm × 200 cm, Tate Gallery, London.

My number one favorite painting is without a doubt The Lady of Shalott by John William Waterhouse. I bought a laminated poster version when I was a teen and it used to hang above my bed (when I lived with my parents - nowadays, it's in the living room). I used to stare at it for hours, studying every detail. I even began making the trim for the armbands in cross stitch a few years ago, with the intention of one day making the dress.

My Teenage Dream Bedroom (complete with hand painted stone arch and gargoyles)

Anyways, John William Waterhouse has got to be one of the most famous Pre-Raphaelite. Everyone knows his work. I've long dreamed of visiting the Tate Gallery in London to see The Lady of Shalott, but it turns out, she came to me instead!

It is not a dream, it is true! The Musée des Beaux Arts de Montréal is having an exhibition about my favorite painter from October 2nd 2009 to February 7th 2010, called John William Waterhouse - Garden of Enchantment. I saw the add for it on Tele the other night and I gasped (scaring my Sweetheart in the process).

Circe Invidiosa: Circe Poisoning the Sea, John William Waterhouse, 1892, Oil on canvas, Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide.

(Hmm... Circé: now there's an idea for Nancy-Raven's Halloween Party.. Watery colours, fits with The Odyssey family costume theme and I think I already have something I can use, so no money to spend - sadly an important consideration these days... I like it! Oh, sorry. Mussing out loud. Back to topic!)

Tristan and Isolde, John William Waterhouse, 1916, Oil on canvas,109.22 × 81.28 cm, Private collection, New York.

I wanna go! I wanna go! I wanna go!!! Who's with me? If it's a whole group of us, we could even dress up? Wouldn't it be nice, freaking those nice museum people out? Let's set a date!