John William Waterhouse’s 1880 oil on canvas painting, “It’s Sweet Doing Nothing,” embodies the aesthetic ideals of Romanticism and encapsulates the essence of genre painting. Its dimensions are 49.21 x 94.93 cm and it is part of the collection at the Kirkcaldy Galleries in Kirkcaldy, UK. The artwork poetically interprets leisure and reflection, emphasizing emotional richness and a heightened appreciation for the subtleties of everyday life.
The artwork presents a serene and contemplative scene, where a woman is depicted lounging idly on a daybed. She is adorned in a flowing, diaphanous yellow dress that captures the soft light filtering through the open windows beside her. The space is rich with detail, including a flourish of peacock feathers in her hand and a casual scattering of yellow flowers and books around her, suggesting a cultured and perhaps whimsical personality. Two pigeons, symbols of peace and gentleness, accompany her repose, reinforcing the sense of tranquility. The interior is further adorned with potted plants adding a touch of the natural world, which, combined with the rays of light bathing the room, creates an atmosphere of calm and voluptuous lethargy. This setting epitomizes the Romantic ideal of withdrawing from the bustle of daily life to engage in personal reverie and the comforting embrace of nature and solitude.