‘The Lady of Shalott’ was painted by John William Waterhouse in 1888. It’s one of three paintings that the artist based on a poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson, which tells the story of an unnamed woman who suffers from a curse. Set in the times of the legendary King Arthur and the city of Camelot, the Lady is isolated alone in a tower. Forbidden to leave, she can only see the outside world through a reflection in a mirror. The Lady longs for love and as she glimpses the handsome knight Lancelot in the mirror, her curse is fulfilled.