Lamia by John William Waterhouse

Lamia by British Pre-Raphaelite artist John William Waterhouse, oil on canvas 1905, depicts a demonic figure from ancient Greek mythology. Once the beautiful queen of Libya, Lamia became the mistress of Zeus, and in a jealous rage Hera the wife of Zeus destroyed Lamia’s children and cursed her to devour the children of others. Lamia was also reputed to be a serpent and seductress, and thus the Waterhouse painting depicts her seducing a knight in armour, snake skin wrapped around her arm and waist. The Pre-Raphaelite painters are known for brilliant, jewel-like colours, decorative patterns, mediaeval and early Renaissance compositional styles, and painterly influences from the schools of Romanticism and Impressionism.