The Lady of Shalott

🧒 Art for Kids 🇮🇹 Italy 🧚 Pre-Raphaelites & Victorian Dreams 🌙 Symbolism & Art Nouveau

Why it's great

In a poem by Tennyson, a lady who lives in a tower is cursed to never look out directly, but she does, and sails to Camelot in a boat. Waterhouse shows her drifting in her boat, with candles flickering out. It's one of the most popular paintings in the Tate Britain. People love its mix of beauty and sadness.

👀 Look closer!

She floats in a boat with candles flickering. How many candles can you see?

Where to see it

📍 Tate BritainLondon, United Kingdom

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Hang it on your wall

⬇ Hi-res download 1,712 × 1,314 px · 2.2 megapixels This is the largest scan on Wikimedia Commons, which is fairly small for a big print. The museum that owns it may offer a larger one. File page & license ↗

Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:

💵 Budget Etsy ↗ Posters and simple prints from small sellers, usually the lowest prices. 🖼️ Mid-range Fine Art America ↗ Good printing on paper, canvas or metal, made to order, with framing options. 🏛️ High-end Meisterdrucke ↗ Museum-grade giclée prints on archival paper or canvas, the closest to the real thing.

These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.

About the artist

John William Waterhouse

1849–1917 · born in Rome · died in London

John William Waterhouse was born in Rome to English parents and later lived in London. He painted women from myths and legends — such as the Lady of Shalott and sirens — in lush, colorful detail. He admired the Pre-Raphaelites, who came before him. He died in London in 1917.