Early Life, Family and Training The beginnings of John William Waterhouse were rooted in the classical atmosphere of Rome, where he was born in 1849 to English parents. His father, William, and his mother, Isabella, were both painters, ensuring that the language of art was his first inheritance. Following his baptism on 6 April 1849, his early years were shaped by this immersion in a creative household. The family eventually moved to England, settling in the South Kensington area of London, a location that placed him in close proximity to the great collections of the era. His formal educati…