I don’t know about you, but I think the fall colors this year are more spectacular than ever. Mother Nature is putting on quite a show, proving once again that nature has a decidedly artistic streak. Speaking of art, I have been reading a beautiful art book I checked out from the library about the English painter, John William Waterhouse. Aside from one art appreciation class taken in college, my knowledge of art history is very limited, so it’s logical to ask why this book and why this artist? I came across one of Waterhouse’s paintings while reading an article, and I wanted to know more about it. Neither the painting nor the artist was cited in the article, but it didn’t take long to find it online, “Miranda — The Tempest” by J.W. Waterhouse. Then a quick search of the library’s catalog showed that we owned a biography about Waterhouse, and just like that, I’m learning about a Victorian artist.
Pablo Picasso once said, “Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” This is how I feel when I look at Waterhouse’s paintings. If you are acquainted with the Pre-Raphaelite style of art, you’ll recognize many of the same elements in Waterhouse’s art, especially his later work. I was happy to note that I was already familiar with a handful of his paintings — “The Lady of Shalott” “The Soul of the Rose” — but until I checked out Peter Trippi’s well-researched biography, I didn’t know they were painted by Waterhouse; and I certainly didn’t know anything about his life.
If you feel the need to wash away the dust of everyday life, spending some time with Waterhouse’s paintings just might be the answer. But it doesn’t have to be this artist alone. The library has a collection of art books ranging from ancient to modern times, and for inspiration I’ve provided a brief selection of titles. Perhaps one of these books will speak to you and help cleanse your soul.
• “American Impressionism: A New Vision, 1880-1900,” by Richard R. Brettell.
• “The Art of Looking: How to Read Modern and Contemporary Art,” by Lance Esplund.
• “Georgia O’Keeffe: At Home,” by Alicia Inez Guzman.
• “Happiness: 25 Ways to Live Joyfully Through Art,” by Christophe Andre.
• “Leonardo da Vinci: The Complete Paintings in Detail,” by Alessandro Vezzosi.
• “Look Again: How to Experience the Old Masters,” by Ossian Ward.
• “Native North American Art,” by Janet Catherine Berlo.
Jan Johnston is the collection development coordinator for the Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries. Email her at readingforfun@fvrl.org.
