SOME MERMAIDS AND NYMPHS

By Essie Fox

An illustration of the Rhinemaidens

At the moment I am suffering from mental exhaustion, and also a sense of elation - an experience, I'm sure, many authors will know when they come to the end of writing a novel.

My second Victorian mystery, which is called Elijah's Mermaid, tells the story of an artist who buys a young girl from a brothel, thereafter becoming obsessed with painting his child-like muse in the form of a nymph or mermaid.

This new novel will shortly be made into proofs, and face the copy-editor's pen, and although I am immensely relieved I shall also miss the story - having been immersed for two long years. So, to make up for any sense of loss and to show some of the art that inspired my work I'd like to make a 'picture post'...

A Mermaid by John William Waterhouse

Hylas and the Nymphs by Waterhouse

The Wave by Bouguereau

Nymphs and Satyr by Bouguereau

Galatea by Dorigny

Water Baby by Herbert James Draper

The Fisherman and the Syren by Leighton

Lamia by Waterhouse

From Russian Folk Art

Essie Fox is the author of The Somnambulist, a Victorian gothic mystery. For more information see www.essiefox

For Essie's Victorian blog see: www.virtualvictorian.blogspot.co.uk