John William Waterhouse RA was an English painter known for having worked first in academic style, then for adopting the style and subjects of pre -raphaƩlite fraternity. His works are known for their representations of women from ancient Greek mythology and the Arthurian legend. Naked in Rome of English parents, both painters, Waterhouse then moved to London, where he enrolled in the Royal Academy of Art. He quickly started to participate in their annual summer exhibitions, focusing on the creation of large canvases representing scenes from daily life and mythology of ancient Greece. Many of his paintings are inspired by authors such as Homer, Ovide, Shakespeare, Tennyson or Keats. Waterhouse's work is exhibited in many major museums and art galleries, and the Royal Academy of Art has organized a big retrospective of his work in 2009.