Figures at an Arcadian Fountain (Fountain of Egeria)

William Havell, a founding member of the Society of Painters in Watercolours, was renowned for his landscapes, a genre he explored extensively throughout his career. This painting, "Figures at an Arcadian Fountain (Fountain of Egeria)," created in 1840, reflects his later period when he had returned from India and was increasingly working in oils, after initially gaining fame for his watercolors. Havell's travels, particularly his time in Italy around 1827, profoundly influenced his choice of subject matter, with many of his Royal Academy exhibits featuring Italian scenes. The title suggests a classical, idyllic setting, characteristic of Arcadian landscapes, often depicting a harmonious relationship between humans and nature. The reference to the Fountain of Egeria, a mythological Roman nymph associated with a sacred spring, further imbues the scene with classical romance and tranquility, a common theme in Havell's works which were praised for their good composition and the effect of sunshine.