Elaine of Astolat
I was drawn to the depth of emotion in her forlorn, despondent expression, and felt compelled to attempt to portray a sense of that intensity.
My inspiration for this piece came from John William Waterhouse painting ‘The Lady of Shalott’, 1888. This Pre Raphaelite painting depicts a scene from Lord Tennyson’s 1833 poem based on the figure ‘Elaine of Astolat’ from medieval legend. Cursed to never leave her locked tower, or even site the view from her window, she fell in love with a reflection in her mirror of Sir Lancelot of Camelot, and defying her curse, gazed through the window assuring her untimely death.
I was drawn to the depth of emotion in her forlorn, despondent expression, and felt compelled to attempt to portray a sense of that intensity.
My inspiration for this piece came from John William Waterhouse painting ‘The Lady of Shalott’, 1888. This Pre Raphaelite painting depicts a scene from Lord Tennyson’s 1833 poem based on the figure ‘Elaine of Astolat’ from medieval legend. Cursed to never leave her locked tower, or even site the view from her window, she fell in love with a reflection in her mirror of Sir Lancelot of Camelot, and defying her curse, gazed through the window assuring her untimely death.
I was drawn to the depth of emotion in her forlorn, despondent expression, and felt compelled to attempt to portray a sense of that intensity.
My inspiration for this piece came from John William Waterhouse painting ‘The Lady of Shalott’, 1888. This Pre Raphaelite painting depicts a scene from Lord Tennyson’s 1833 poem based on the figure ‘Elaine of Astolat’ from medieval legend. Cursed to never leave her locked tower, or even site the view from her window, she fell in love with a reflection in her mirror of Sir Lancelot of Camelot, and defying her curse, gazed through the window assuring her untimely death.
Fine sculptural clay - mid fire to stoneware
Red iron oxide
Coloured stain
Clear glaze
Height - 34cm
Width - 33cm
Depth - 18cm