The lady of shalott john william waterhouse was an english pre raphaelite painter who is most famous for his paintings of female characters from greek and arthurian mythology illustrating lord alfred tennyson39s 1883 poem 39lady of shalott39 waterhouse39s painting eloquently captures the lady39s wistful doomed quality as she embarks on her final voyage to camelot she leaves her tower finds a boat upon which she writes her name and floats down the river to camelot she dies befor