J O H N W AT E R H O U S E

A PLACE YOU KNOW

As one company director told us at a recent exhibition, “I have two paintings by John Waterhouse in my office and they are a genuine calming influence in the midst of often chaotic days!” So what is it about John’s work that makes it such a positive force for calm?

The answer perhaps lies in his attitude and approach to his work. For him each individual painting begins in a moment of reflection and takes him on an emotional journey into his imagination and beyond. The winding paths and distant figures draw us into each enticing scene and invite us to share John’s vision and making it our own.

To look into a painting by John Waterhouse is to enter a world of peace and contemplative beauty. His atmospheric images conjure a world of wide skies, distant horizons, and man and nature in perfect harmony.

A Day to DaydreamLimited Edition | Paper on Board | 28"x28" | £795

Enchanted DayLimited Edition | Paper on Board | 16"x16" | £365

Free TimeLimited Edition | Paper on Board | 38"x14" | £595

This mesmerising new collection reminds us of the visual impact of the world we live in - if we only took the time to look closely. For John, landscape painting is a deeply personal venture. He says:

“When people look at my paintings they are looking inside me. Through painting I can convey my emotions much more directly to the viewer which to me is what art and painting is all about. I feel that a painting is as much about the artist as it is about the subject matter. My work is continually evolving and I hope will always do so, constantly exploring and pushing the boundaries; making the viewer look deep inside themselves is my driving force.”

John sees the landscape he loves through the lens of 21st century life, and captures it with an authenticity and beauty that proclaims him one of the natural heirs to this great tradition.

In western art, the term ‘landscape’ comes from the Dutch word ‘landschap’ which translates literally as ‘a patch of ground’. This humble phrase has come to describe one of the greatest and best loved genres in the whole of art history, embracing artists as diverse as Rubens, Monet, and David Hockney.

The appreciation of nature for its own sake, and its choice as a specific subject for art, is a relatively recent phenomenon. Until the 1600s, landscape was confined to the background of portraits or paintings dealing principally with religious, mythological or historical subjects. In the late 17th century however, artists began to paint scenes for their own value, either representing a real place or an imaginary or idealised scene, and landscape painting as we know it was born.

The 19th century saw a remarkable explosion of naturalistic landscape painting, partly driven by the increasing alienation of many people from nature by growing industrialisation and urbanisation. Britain produced two outstanding contributors to this phenomenon in John Constable and J.M.W. Turner and the place of landscape painting in this country was assured.

The Time of Our LivesLimited Edition | Paper on Board | 16"x16" | £365

“Enjoyment of the landscape is a thrill.”David Hockney

A Place you Know is available as a limited edition box set including two signed limited edition prints of 495 copies, and as a high

quality stand-alone collector’s book.

Open Edition: £55 | Limited Edition: £160

A PLACE YOU KNOW

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

We are delighted to announce the publication of this long-awaited book which represents a landmark moment in John’s career, reflecting his outstanding status as one of the country’s foremost landscape artists. A Place you Know is a lavishly illustrated tribute to John’s life and work, and offers a fascinating insight into his inspiration through personal commentary and a series of previously unseen photographs.

John first discovered his love of landscape through walking and this passion comes across very clearly in these pages. As he wandered the fields near his home, he found himself thinking “I want to paint this – but why? There’s nothing here. But,” he went on, “there was. There was light.” This realisation opened his mind to art – “I suddenly understood” he says, “that it’s just a matter of looking.” He describes himself as a student of light, and the radiance of each images is the unifying factor in this beautiful book.

Marcel Proust (novelist, 1871-1922)