Inspired by the Argonautica, John William Waterhouse paints Hylas' abductions by the Naiad (aka, the water nymphs) in 1896.
The oil painting captures the exact moment when Hylas, who is So Beautiful, It's a Curse, catches the attention of the Naiads while collecting drinking water from a pond. By means unknown, they entice him to become their lover, never to be seen again.
The artwork is regarded as a study of color and sensuality, what with the abundant plant life and vibrant hues. It's also notable for not depicting Hercules, Hylas' lover. The reason is that the piece's focus is on the sinister nymphs and not Hylas' experiences or feelings.
Hylas and the Nymphs is currently exhibited in the Manchester Art Gallery.
This artwork provides examples of:
- Foregone Conclusion: The painting illustrates a snippet of the Argonautica, when Hylas is being seduced by the naidas of a pond. The painting alone leaves ambiguous whether he succumbs, but the myths states that he is indeed kidnapped.
- Flowers of Femininity: The naiads all have small flowers in their hair to add to their seductive beauty.
- Our Nymphs Are Different: The naiads are all portrayed as relatively human-looking (if not somewhat identical) women, nude in the pond.
- Protagonist Title: The painting focuses on the sinister nature of the naiads (aka water nymphs) as they kidnap a young man. This contrasts other paintings on the subject, that put the spotlight on Hylas.
- Red/Green Contrast: The naiads' red hair contrasts with the nature (greenish water, lily pads, grasses) surrounding them.
- Redheads Are Ravishing: The naiads seducing Hylas to a watery death notably all have auburn hair, which adds to their allure and starkly contrasts with the nature surrounding them.
- Reused Character Design: All of the naiads have near-identical facial structures. Art scholars have surmised that they all share the same model(s).
- Water Is Womanly: The attractive, alluring naiads are personifications of the pond pictured in the painting. So, water is womanly because it's the domain of Femmes Fatales.
