John Keats / John William Waterhouse
January 14, 2008
La Belle Dame Sans Merci
(Translation: A beautiful woman with no mercy)
A knight is doomed by a chance meeting with a beautiful lady. Enthralled by her allure, he spends the day under the spell of her bewitching, enchanting company.
The painting (by John William Waterhouse) illustrates these lines from the poem La Belle Dame Sans Merci, by John Keats:
She took me to her elfin grot,
And there she gaz’d and sighed deep,
And there I shut her wild sad eyes -
So kiss’d to sleep.
You can read the poem to find out how it ends 
~
The artist, John William Waterhouse (1849-1917), was a painter of classical, historical, and literary subjects. He was born in Rome, and referred to as “Nino” throughout his life. Very little is known of Waterhouse’s private life — only a few letters have survived. Thus, the identity of many of his models has been a mystery.
The great English Romantic poet, John Keats (1795-1821; a short life of 26 years), is known for his elaborate word choice and sensual imagery in writing. These characteristics of his writing style extend into his personal letters as well, some of which are available online. They are filled with vigour, searching, and intensity. Essential reading.
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