Evening Calm

A young man perches on a rock in the middle of a rocky cove, playing a pipe while three figures cluster around and below him in the water. This is Herbert James Draper's "Evening Calm," and the scene draws on the world of Greek myth that fascinated him throughout his career. The women in the water are likely sea nymphs or sirens, drawn in by the music, though Draper leaves the exact story open. He was working in the late Victorian and Edwardian tradition, and like many British painters of his time he loved subjects that mixed the human figure with the sea, legend, and a touch of romance.

Draper is best known for dramatic mythological pictures like "The Lament for Icarus," but here the mood is settled and warm rather than tragic. The real star is the light. Look at the way the late sun catches the top of the tall cliffs and warms the golden rock, while the water below shifts from deep green shadow to bright ripples near the shore. The pale bodies in the water almost glow against the dark sea. It is a straightforward, pleasant image that shows off Draper's skill at painting both flesh and landscape, even if it lacks the punch of his more famous works.