Waterhouse and Milais

When my dad was a boy he lived in England for a period of time and went to a school called Little Hampden Manor located in Little Missenden...which is just a dot on the map.  He has told us stories of his fun there and how he used to sneak through a field with his friends and go to a local candy store and then run back through the field to school.

We were fortunate enough to visit England twice as a family growing up and I went back again when living in Italy.  I love England.  When my dad took us back to Little Hampden Manor, it turned out to now be someones home.  When we got there, there was a small prop plane in the yard and the door to the house was open.  All very quiet, still and strange.  I poked my head in and startled the owners (who were not the friendliest) and asked us to leave...saying that he was tired of people coming around looking for the old school.

Anyhow, the Tate Gallery in London boasts some of the greatest artists of all time.  I had been in love with the painting, Lady of Shalott, by John William Waterhouse and Ophelia by Sir John Everett Milais...so it was amazing to me to be able to see these masterpieces in person when we visited.  If you are an art lover, talk about making your heart flutter.

So, I am quite jealous of my sister, who just got back from London and was able to make a solo trip to Tate Britain and soak up these pieces once more.  She is equally in love with them....and she got me a postcard...which I will take.  And frame.


Lady of Shalott:




photos courtesy of Tate Britain


Ophelia:



photo courtesy of Tate Britain