History of the West

Central European History from Antiquity to the 20th Century

Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema – History in Paintings

In the Tepidarium, by Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema
In the Tepidarium, by Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema

World famous in his lifetime, forgotten after death, and rediscovered since the 1960s, Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema’s ( 8 January 1836 – 25 June 1912) depictions of Classical Antiquity have been called everything from kitsch to genius. Female beauty was his passion …

Following a family tradition, he was destined to become a lawyer – fortunately for the world of art, the plan tanked for good when he, aged sixteen, entered the Royal Academy of Antwerp in Belgium to study early Dutch and Flemish art. What happened then one can read on Wiki and many other websites, and we forgo the story and show the works …

The Woman of Amphissa
The Woman of Amphissa
The Baths of Caracalla
The Baths of Caracalla

He became known especially with scenes of daily life – quite distict from the hero-worshipping of mainstream classical painters.

A Favourite Custom
A Favourite Custom
View From The Villa Jovis by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema
View From The Villa Jovis by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema
At Aphrodite's Cradle
At Aphrodite’s Cradle
Watching and Waiting
The Colosseum
A reading by Homer - Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema
A reading by Homer – Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema
Comparison' by_Lawrence Alma Tadema  -Cincinnati Art Museum
“Comparison” by Lawrence Alma Tadema – Cincinnati Art Museum
Spring
Spring (Detail)

Websites:

Alma-Tedema Foundation

Athenaeum

(© John Vincent Palatine 2019)

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3 Comments

  1. Robert Porreca

    Incredible skill and beauty. The settings are believable. If I had a criticism it’s with the women he painted. They are ALL incredibly beautiful, even in large group settings. I love his compositions but I would have placed a few average or plain looking people, enhancing actual realism. As it is, Lawrence’s’ Roman world has the appearance of a simple fantasy.

  2. Anonymous

    My word what a joy, never heard of him till today.
    His pictures are exquisite. Such detail.

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