Description
John William Waterhouse’s Hylas and the Nymphs shows a young man leaning toward women gathered in a lily-covered pool. Their pale shoulders and faces emerge from dark water, while reeds and woodland enclose the encounter. A jar hangs low beside the young man.
Painted in 1896, the scene is organized around reaching arms and exchanged gazes. The bank separates the standing figure from the closely grouped nymphs, yet their gestures bridge that distance. Dark foliage makes the small, luminous faces especially compelling.
Read our guide to giclée prints, browse more John William Waterhouse prints, or explore Echo and Narcissus.
