J.W. Waterhouse

Trippi's biography of eminent Victorian painter and "third generation Pre-Raphaelite" John William Waterhouse is richly executed in form and content, amplifying the late Anthony Hobson's pathbreaking books (The Art and Life of J.W. Waterhouse, RA, 1849-1917, CH, May'81; and J.W. Waterhouse, 1989) and presenting the fullest, most compelling account of the artist's work to date. The dearth of archival resources available about Waterhouse has not prevented Trippi (Brooklyn Museum of Art) from imparting a robust assessment of the artist's career, including biographical information, chronological analysis of his oeuvre, and, most usefully, contextual consideration of the artist's classical, literary and mythical subject matter and position in the Victorian art world. A plethora of handsome color reproductions of works by Waterhouse and his British and French contemporaries augment Trippi's thoughtful formal and thematic explications, which at their best enlighten as to how Waterhouse's work was shaped by such diverse forces as personal experience (education, travel, and family life), cultural conditions (particularly, perceptions of women in Victorian society) and the larger artistic milieu in which he worked. An epilogue explores Waterhouse's posthumous reputation, and the notes and bibliography are extensive, making this an indispensable source on Waterhouse and his oeuvre. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. General readers; lower-division undergraduates through faculty. K. Rhodes Hollins University