Lawrence Alma-Tadema
Lawrence Alma-Tadema, born Lourens Alma Tadema, was a Dutch artist who lived from 1836 to 1912. He was an Academic artist, sometimes categorized as creating Orientalism art, who is mostly known for his paintings depicting the stories and lifeways of the Roman Empire and other classical subjects.
Alma-Tadema was born into a large family. His father died when he was just four when his mother assumed responsibility for the entire household, this included the children’s education. As she was interested in art, she made sure that art became part of their studies. Alma-Tadema was initially en route to becoming a lawyer, but at 15 years old he was diagnosed with consumption and given only months to live. At that point, his mother allowed him to spend his days doing whatever leisure activities he wanted to, including drawing and painting. After Alma-Tadema recovered, he decided to pursue art and in 1852 he entered the Royal Academy of Antwerp.
After completing his studies in 1855, Alma-Tadema served as an assistant for Gustaf Wappers, a history artist. Alma-Tadema was exposed to history and costume in relation to art, and soon his favorite art subject was the Merovingian culture, a Frankish dynasty that lived in France in the 5th century.
In the 1860s, Alma-Tadema started painting more ancient Egyptian themed paintings, as they had a more widespread appeal. After spending his honeymoon in Italy and visiting the doomed city of Pompeii, Alma-Tadema began painting ancient Greek and Roman themed paintings as well, spending time studying the history to ensure accuracy. In 1864, he met the art dealer, Enerst Gambart, who admired Alma-Tadema’s work, ordered some paintings on commission, and included him in an art show in London.
Alma-Tadema’s wife died in 1869 at just 32 years of age from smallpox. That event and the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war caused Alma-Tadema to move to England in 1870, where he would spend the rest of his life. In England, Alma-Tadema found success and a new wife. His works were sought after and sold for a high price and was one of the most popular artists of his time. In 1889, he was knighted in England.
Though his works are quite refined, Alma-Tadema in real life was a jokester and lover of wine, women, and parties. In his later years, he spent a lot of his time applying his historical knowledge to other art forms, including costume and furniture design. Lawrence Alma-Tadema passed away in 1912 at 76 years old. He is buried in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. After his death, Alma-Tadema’s work fell into obscurity, only reemerging in popularity during the 1960s.
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