J.W. Waterhouse

Update January 2009
A new URL:
The Mysterious Models of John William Waterhouse

From my article: [i]The Waterhouse Ideal[/i]: Page 80 of Anthony Hobson's 1978 dissertation, [i]The Life and Work of J.W. Waterhouse, R.A.[/i], begins with the closing lines of a quotation from [i]The Magazine of Art [/i]that accompanied a reproduction of Waterhouse's 1893 painting, [i]La Belle Dame Sans Merci[/i]: "… the artistic and poetic mystery and tenderness of [i]La Belle Dame Sans Merci [/i]were widely, though not fully, acknowledged, and the work was held to mark another step forward in the career of its accomplished author" (also [i]Art[/i], 76). The page ends with these lines: "... the girl in question sat for him regularly. She can be identified in most of the major subject pictures of the following years. We are told that he treated her very well, and that she sent a beautiful wreath to his funeral" (also [i]Art[/i], 77). (Followed in Anthony Hobson's dissertation by the footnote: "Mrs. Donner, who owns a study for [i]Psyche Opening the Golden Box[/i]…, in which this model appears, in conversation with the author.") In the mid-1970's, Mrs. Donner shared with Anthony Hobson information about her families' friendship with Waterhouse ([i]Life[/i], v). Between about 1892 and 1911, Nino and Esther Waterhouse spent some holidays at Croyde in Devon. Esther Waterhouse's sister Emily and her husband, Peregrine Feeney, had a home there ([i]Art[/i], 51, 134). The Gunn family also visited Croyde for holidays (Trippi, 207) and a friendship developed between the families - a friendship that would extend over several years. Gwendoline Gunn (1882-1977) was one of the Gunn's daughters. Mrs. Donner, Gwendoline's daughter, would later be one of the friends who helped care for Esther Waterhouse during her last days (Hobson, [i]Art[/i], 144). Dr. Hobson's 1980 publication features the portrait, [i]Miss Gwendoline Gunn[/i] ([i]Art[/i], 145). (The portrait is not allowed to be reproduced without permission.) His 1980 Catalogue of Works includes listings for studies in oils, paintings, pencil studies and chalk studies that Gwendoline was given. It is believed by some that Miss Gunn sat for Waterhouse only "for paintings of herself" and that Mrs. Donner’s comments refer to another model. In the picture credits of Peter Trippi's book about the artist, [i]The Merman[/i] (c. 1892), a landscape sketch for [i]A Naiad[/i] (1892), and a [i]Study for Flora in Flora and the Zephyrs[/i] (c. 1897-8) are listed in the same private collection as a chalk study of Beatrice McKay Gunn, Gwendoline's sister (Trippi, 251). I didn't find listings for the second two works in Dr. Hobson's 1980 Catalogue of Works, but [i]The Merman[/i] is among the Catalogue’s entries. Dr. Hobson begins the provenance of the painting with Esther Waterhouse, the painting being part of her late husband's estate. It was given by Esther to Gwendoline Gunn and Gwendoline bequeathed it to her daughter ([i]Art[/i], 195). Holiday times at the beautiful seaside retreat of Croyde most likely provided some of Waterhouse's inspirations for [i]The Mermaid[/i] and other paintings ... and the gift must have been a treasured reminder of those times along the Devon coast. Or did the painting have additional meaning for Gwendoline? … Another painting Dr. Hobson lists in his Catalogue of Works as being given to Gwendoline is a study for [i]Psyche Opening the Golden Box[/i] ([i]Art[/i], 189). As mentioned above, Gwendoline's daughter owned the painting at the time she shared with Dr. Hobson information about the model he thought sat for Waterhouse "regularly" ... the person thought to "be identified in most of the major subject pictures of the following years" ... including this one. In a conversation with Dr. Hobson about the model, Mrs. Donner shared that Waterhouse "treated her very well, and that she sent a beautiful wreath to his funeral." Why did Esther give the painting to Gwendoline? Was it a gift to a cherished friend who only sat "for paintings of herself" ... or in addition to being a cherished friend, could Gwendoline also have been the person her daughter referred to in the conversation with Dr. Hobson … the person who sat for Waterhouse regularly and sent a beautiful wreath to his funeral? With no records to confirm or deny this, we unfortunately can't know for sure. As a friend who sat for the artist she must have been an inspiration to him, though, and is surely a part of that unique beauty represented in the art of J. W. Waterhouse. From [url=http://www.johnwilliamwaterhouse.com/the-models/the-mysterious-models-of-john-william-waterhouse.html][i]The Mysterious Models of John William Waterhouse[/i]:[/url] (Towards the end of the article.) Without the aid of journals or other personal papers to shed light on Waterhouse's models we have only their names ... and not the thoughts of the artist to guide us. When Anthony Hobson wrote about a "favourite" model he did it with a quote from Gwendoline Gunn's daughter, Mrs. Donner. A quote that has always caught my attention and made me long for clarification: "... the girl in question sat for him regularly. She can be identified in most of the major subject pictures of the following years. We are told that he treated her very well, and that she sent a beautiful wreath to his funeral." (Followed in Anthony Hobson's dissertation by the footnote: "Mrs. Donner, who owns a study for [i]Psyche Opening the Golden Box[/i] …, in which this model appears, in conversation with the author.") It seems they knew the name of the model being referred to ... but, we will probably never know for sure. I've wondered if perhaps she was speaking about her mother … Gwendoline Gunn. ----- And yes, I have seen "her presence in the paintings" ... [IMG]http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii3/cbimage/1nymphs-fp.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii3/cbimage/1nymgg.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii3/cbimage/1apsycheopeningthegoldenbox.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii3/cbimage/1apsycheopening.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii3/cbimage/1aenchantedgarden2ab.jpg[/IMG] but, didn't want to go against the wishes of her family by making her portrait known in a way they would object to.

Cathy: If Gwendoline's family has an objection to this sketch, I would like to hear from them directly. If I am offending them, I need to know from them. In any case, I am glad to have the reminder.

A new video: [url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=S3B9BNL_q1s]J. W. Waterhouse - And a friendship that began at Croyde[/url] If the sketch that Nino kept in a special place is of Gwendoline (which seems possible) - (Ness wrote: "I wrote to Cathy awhile back that I felt that the chalk sketch Nino kept on the mantle piece was Gwen. I certainly remembered a good deal of the face being the same, and was particular about the jaw, nose and mouth, which turned out to be quite the same. The portrait of her seems to be of a mature young woman - perhaps a present before her marriage. The chalk sketch looks like a wide eyed young girl." The sketch referred to appears in a photograph found on page 207 of Peter Trippi's book - it is on top of a wooden chest in the upper middle part of the photograph to the left of the fireplace.) ... it will further confirm to me she was: "... the girl in question [that] sat for him regularly. ... We are told that he treated her very well, and that she sent a beautiful wreath to his funeral." (Followed in Anthony Hobson's dissertation by the footnote: "Mrs. Donner, who owns a study for [i]Psyche Opening the Golden Box[/i] …, in which this model appears, in conversation with the author.")

The video I mentioned at the beginning of this thread is now available for viewing. I did not get permission to use the music, sad to say, so I am recycling a piece of my own. I still hope that the band changes its mind someday. Please visit their website at [url=http://islafolk.com] Isla[/url] and listen to a bit of "Proud Maisry." An absolutely smashing piece. [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdaRpXwrsFM]The Changer and the Changeling: Waterhouse and Gwendoline Gunn[/url] The purpose of the video not only shows how Nino used models, but the process of doing sketches in red chalk. Red chalk renders all images to medium colors, neither truly light or dark. From that point, the artist can get an idea of how his image will look with different color tones. The sketch kept on the mantlepiece (I did not realize Julia does not have a copy of that photograph here) appears in the video as the red chalk drawing that morphs into the finished Rose Bower image. It seems to be the image of a very young girl, just entering teenhood, large eyed and a bit plump. The other similar sketch, and then the painting, shows how the image was aged for its final form, with her long slender neck.

The origin of a posting can at times be uncertain because of "User Names". If you are a regular visitor to the site that wouldn't be the case, but if someone were to happen on to information about "The Changer and the Changeling ..." they might wonder who made the video. If you are a recent visitor to the Message Board, you can find out information about "Ness" through reading the thread [url=http://www.johnwilliamwaterhouse.com/message-board/4764.html]The Waterhouse Witch Website has been updated[/url] at the 'Member Introductions' section of the Forum ... or by visiting her other YouTube channel [url=http://youtube.com/user/farmemory]Far Memory[/url] and the video [url=http://youtube.com/watch?v=PU2AK2cyFXw]The Waterhouse Witch[/url] ... or her website, Sandra Lynn Sparks.com. If you visit the "Going Past" pages at [url=http://sandralynnsparks.com/]sandralynnsparks.com[/url], you'll find her section on "The Reincarnation of Esther Waterhouse".

And in case anyone is wondering about Cathy, you can find more of her writing in the article section of this website, and at her youtube channel: [url=http://youtube.com/user/WaterhouseArt] WaterhouseArt[/url] Cathy is going to a lot of effort to make sure people know that I am not coming into my opinions from a scholastic view. I don't claim to have one. What started off as reincarnational research to verify what was and was not possible reincarnational memory has turned into an appreciation for what Julia Kerr has achieved at this site. Ms Baker's work was a great help to me, for my initial discovery about myself came because of a link to an article in which she had written about Esther. Past life recall research and scholastic research differ because the first comes from a personal point of view and the second comes from an objective point of view relying on archival evidence. Those of us who do past life recall research rely on the archival evidence to verify what we remember and let us know when we are off track. Sometimes the two types of research are on the same track - sometimes we are not. But we come from very different points of view. It is wonderful when a past life researcher can find a site that is as useful as this one has been. If Cathy is continually pointing out what else I do in a bid to discredit me, she's going to have to go a long way to do it. Many people have believed in reincarnation for a long time. Well thought of people, including George S. Patton and George Bernard Shaw, among many others, have felt they knew who they had been before. Not everyone believes. I don't blame people for not believing if they never experience the memories. I can understand it. But I have seen enough to believe there is something to reincarnation. As for my presence here I think others can say at least that I admit when I turn out to be wrong, and I have done some things here that turned out to be useful . I have often agreed with theories that they have put forth, including Ms Baker's theories. I think she is very astute, and I rarely disagree with what she thinks. Between Peter Trippi, Julia Kerr's and Cathy Baker's work, a lot has been done to clarify what Nino did in his life and work. However: what Nino did in his life and work does not belong exclusively to any researcher - including me. We can have the luck and privilege to feel we understand what he was about, and put forth our ideas about it, but we do not own the rights to his life. Not any of us. His life is in the public domain. That said: I brought up the reincarnation work after being on this board a long time because I trust the people here. I am not trying to promote it. I would appreciate it if Cathy would stop bringing up my outside websites again and again. The focus of this website is an appreciation of Nino's work. Thank you.

It was just a way for anyone new to the site who happened upon this thread to have information we already knew about ... but, they might not have the benefit of knowing. (nothing to do with a scholastic view or not.) It was not to discredit reincarnation ... just provide information about who created the video - if anyone should wonder (so there would be no misunderstanding about its source). I think the only other time I brought this up was in reply to the message you posted: [url=http://www.johnwilliamwaterhouse.com/message-board/4764.html]The Waterhouse Witch Website has been updated[/url]. By the way, it was interesting the way the images "morph" together in the "Changer" video, Ness.

Readers who spend any time on a message board know how to check who is the poster, and who is not, and how to check a profile. Such a post is unnecessary, especially in a thread created by the poster. Since it is so unnecessary, it can seem rather pointed. If you did not mean it that way, I am glad. But it did seem that way. Thank you for the clarification.

But, as mentioned, the information was for someone who might be new to the site ... and perhaps unfamiliar with its resources. I would think you would be happy to have people directed to your websites that include your information about Waterhouse - his family and friends. (I also recall that because of the problem with having earthlink in your URL it is easier for some to access it through your sandralynnsparks site. And your YouTube Waterhouse site has a link to your sandralynnsparks site, so it seems you don't mind sharing it.) Best wishes.