Phyllis (1895), by J.W. WaterhouseIn December 1895, at the age of 46, Waterhouse was finally elected

Phyllis (1895), by J.W. Waterhouse

In December 1895, at the age of 46, Waterhouse was finally elected as full Academician at the Royal Academy of Arts.  Through his paintings, he had become quite popular in London society although there have always been critics who disliked his style.  He was considered one of the most influential modern painters in England, together with Lawrence Alma-Tadema, Frank Dicksee and Frederic Leighton.

The portrayed Phyllis is the younger daughter of the president of the Royal Watercolour Society: Sir Ernest Albert Waterlow.  He and Waterhouse shared a studio on Primrose Hill.