The mid 19th century painting Ophelia by John Everett Millais always makes me stop. The atmosphere is so serene, but the painting is so mournful: the character from the Shakespeare play does not understand from her sorrow that she is drowning. It is one of my favourite paintings.
Inspired by the artwork, I wanted to make my own painting of a woman floating in water with a flower motive; only this lady of the lake is empowered and peaceful. The word Nymphaea refers both to water lillies and the nature deities of Greek mythology.
