"The Lady of Shallot", 1905, William Holman Hunt
‘I am half-sick of Shadows,’ said the Lady of Shalott, 1913, Sidney Harold Meteyard
The 4’ project’s inspiration can be traced back through a series of pre-Raphaelite paintings that were inspired by Tennyson's poem titled “The Lady of Shallot”. The painting’s conceptual basis is rooted in feelings of languor and the idea of the artist as a detached observer of the outside world.
The ideas of languor, artistic reflection, and contemplation behind “The Lady of Shallot” reflect the conceptual program of the space desired by the clients (both musicians and songwriters) where the programmatic elements incorporated into the 4’ balcony include a sauna and a raised window room for contemplation and reflection. The window to the window room is a one-way mirror allowing the artist inside to look out, while making it impossible for anyone to look in, paralleling the ideas manifested in the Tennyson poem.