I am Half-Sick of Shadows, said the Lady of Shalott 1916

John William Waterhouse painted, "I am Half-Sick of Shadows, said the Lady of Shalott" in oil, and what strikes me first is the moodiness of the tones, balanced by the intensity of the red in her dress. You can feel the artist searching, trying to capture the feeling of the scene, as much as its appearance. Up close, the texture of the paint is really something. It's not about a smooth finish, but about the play of light on the surface. See how Waterhouse uses these little dabs and strokes to build up the form of the dress? It's almost sculptural, like he’s modeling the fabric with paint. The weave on the tapestry she's working on mirrors the way the image is put together, thread by thread. Painters like Manet were interested in similar subjects, but with a modern eye. Waterhouse brings something else, a longing for another time. It’s that push and pull, between what’s real and what’s imagined, that makes art so compelling. You are invited to come up with your own story about this image.