#peter trippi

Spring (ca.1900), by J.W. Waterhouse

There are at least four versions of this painting in which Waterhouse experimented mainly with the level of detail and the scenery at the horizon. Other aspects like the composition and the woman’s clothes remain unchanged. This is one of the two signed versions, but not the more impressionistic one that Peter Trippi selected for his wonderful book on Waterhouse.  There are no indications that any of the versions were ever put up for sale in Waterhouse’s days.

He went on painting in his own style, but the glory days of Waterhouse were over.  Besides the in England always popular military art (e.g. Fripp, Woodville and Davidson), young controversial artists such as illustrator Aubrey Beardsley and author Oscar Wilde drew attention.