The Lady of Shalottby John William Waterhouse is a deeply evocative painting that brings to life the haunting final moments of Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s beloved 1832 poem of the same name. Completed in 1888 and measuring 153 × 200 cm, this Romantic masterpiece captures a tragic scene from Part IV of the poem, in which the Lady, doomed by a mysterious curse, sets out on her final journey down the river to Camelot. In this poignant moment, she releases the chain that tethers her small boat to the shore, her eyes fixed solemnly on a crucifix positioned before three flickering candles.
