Waterhouse's
distinctively romantic approach to the femme fatale (La Belle
Dame Sans Merci, Hylas and the Nymphs) and the abandoned heroine
(Ophelia, Meriamne, The Lady of Shallot) appealed greatly to the
masses, but his academic and technical skill commanded the respect
of his both his peers and critics.
He was regarded so highly, in fact, by his peers that The Enchanted
Garden was exhibited posthumously at the Academy even though it
was never finished. John Waterhouse died on 10 February, 1917
after a long illness. His influence can be seen in the work of
Sir Frank Dicksee, Arthur Hacker, and Herbert James Draper.
