Lawrence Alma-Tadema Posters Prints Fine Art

Roses of Heliogabalus Art Print

Ask Me No More Art Print

Pleading Art Print

Coign of Vantage Art Print

The Honeymoon Giclee Print

Self Portrait Giclee Print

Rose of All Roses Giclee Print

Welcome Footsteps Well-Known Footsteps

Favourite Poet Art Print

Silver Favourites Art Print

The Baths of Caracalla

Hope Springs Eternal, Expectations

Unconscious Rivals Art Print

Love Votaries Art Print

A Dedication to Bacchus

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema was born with the name Laurens Tadema January 8, 1836, in a little town called Dronrijp located Friesland to the north of the Netherlands. He was the 6th child of Pieter Jiltes Tadema, the town notary public who had three sons by a earlier marriage as well as the 3rd child of Lawrence's mother, Hinke Dirks Brouwer. Hinke Brouwer was the stepsister of Pieter Tadema's previous wife. Her first child passed away at birth of and a second child, Atje, Laurence' sister, for who he held great fondness. The name of Tadema was an old Frisian patronymic closing with the suffix 'ma' - 'son of' while the names Laurens as well as Alma belonged to the boy's godfather. Laurens would afterward switch his name to the more English Lawrence, and also merged Alma with his family name as to to have his name come out at the start of exhibit catalogs. He did not in fact hyphenate his surname, however it was practiced by other people and as a result become the accepted pattern.

Far Away Thoughts

In the Tepidarium Art Print

A Greek Woman Art Print

Under the Roof of Blue Ionian Weather

Bacchanal Giclee Print

Preparations in the Colosseum

A Roman Dance Giclee Print

Faust and Marguerite Giclee Print

This is Our Corner Giclee Print

The Education of the Children of Clovis

Summer Offering Giclee Print

Portrait of Miss MacWirter

Exhausted Maenides on the Steps of Temple Amphissa After Dance

Vintage Festival in Ancient Rome Giclee Print

During 1838, the Tadema family settled the village of Leeuwarden, and here Pieter's placement as a notary proved to be increasingly profitable. Lawrence's father passed away at the time he was four, leaving the mother with 5 children: Lawrence, the daughter, and 3 sons from the father's first wedding. His mother possessed artistic talents and chose that sketching lessons would be integrated into the children's training. Lawrence took his first art education with a nearby drawing master who had been employed to instruct his older stepbrothers.

It was thought that the Lawrence follow a career as an attorney; however in 1851 at the age of fifteen he endured a physical and psychological breakdown. Diagnosed with consumptive; and told he would only have a brief period to live, he was permitted to pass his last days at his leisure, sketching and painting. Left alone to his personal devices he recovered his health and selected to follow a vocation as a painter. In 1852 he enrolled The Royal Academy of Antwerp where he learned Dutch and Flemish painting under Egide Charles Gustave Wappers. Throughout Alma-Tadema's four years with the Academy, he acquired numerous honors and awards.

Towards the end of 1855 as he prepared to leave the school, Lawrence was assistant to the artist and teacher Louis Jan de Taeye, whose classes in history as well as historical dress Lawrence had enjoyed with the Academy. Even though de Taeye was not an spectacular artist, Alma-Tadema admired him stayed on as his studio assistant for three years. De Taeye acquainted him with books which shaped the young Lawrence's wish to depict Merovingian themes early in his work. He was encouraged to portray historic truth in his artwork, a trait that the painter would later be famous for. in November of 1858 Alma-Tadema left Taeye's studio and went back to Leeuwarden, and then on to Antwerp where worked with artist Baron Jan August Hendrik Leys. Leys studio became among the most respected in Belgium. With the counseling of Leys, Alma-Tadema created his first leading work titled The Education of the children of Clovis. The painting was displayed that same year with the Artistic Congress in Antwerp where it caught the attention of both art critics and painters. This initial exhibit is alleged to have set the foundation of Alma-Tadema's repute.

Alma-Tadema later said of the work that even though Leys believed the finished painting was finer than he had anticipated, he was discriminative of the handling of marble, and that he likened it to cheese. Alma-Tadema accepted this critique quite earnestly, and it guided him to better his skill and to become the world's primary artist of marble and mottle granite. Notwithstanding any critiques of his teacher, The Education of the Children of Clovis was well accepted by critics both and was later purchased as a gift to King Leopold of Belgium.

Merovingian dynasty genre became the artist's preferred topic until the middle 1860's. It is maybe in this set which we discover Alma-Tadema propelled with his the richest spirit and strong romantic inclination. Nevertheless, Merovingian themes did not have a broad attraction with the art buying public, so he changed to subjects of life in ancient Egypt which had been more appreciated by potential patrons. With the subjects of Frankish and Egyptian life Alma-Tadema devoted a considerable amount of research for the sake of accuracy. During 1862 Alma-Tadema departed Leys's studio to begin an independent career, launching himself as a European painter of classical subject of substance.

1863 changed the path of Alma-Tadema's private and professional life: in January his ill mother passed away, while in September he was to wed Marie-Pauline Gressin, whose father had been Eugene Gressin, a French journalist of royal ancestry. The Gressin family resided close to Brussels. Naught is known of their encounter or even Pauline herself, because Alma-Tadema never talked of her following her passing away in 1869. Her likeness appears in several of the artist's works, although he created her portrait on merely three occasions, of which the best known is the painting titled My Studio. The pair bore three children. The first and sole son lived only a couple of months before passing away of smallpox. The two girls, Laurence and Anna, each displayed artistic inclinations: the first for literature, Anna in painting. Neither wed.

Alma-Tadema and his wife took an extended honeymoon traveling through Florence, Rome, Naples and Pompeii. This would be his initial trip to Italy, where began to grow an interest in portraying scenes from daily life of ancient Greece as well as Rome. His particul interest lay in Rome as he had been inspired by the beautiful ruins he saw of Pompeii, a place which captivated him. Rome would influence Alma-Tadema's painting greatly during the following years.

In the summer during 1864, Tadema was introduced to Ernest Gambart, the most authoritative art dealer as well as promoter of the 19th century. Gambart had been extremely impressed with Alma-Tadema's, who was at the time painting the piece Egyptian Chess Players . The dealer immediately acknowledged the extraordinary talents of the young artist, therefore he granted Alma-Tadema an order for 24 works as well as set up for 3 of Tadema's pieces to be exhibited in London. In 1865, Tadema moved to Brussels where he was dubbed knight of the Order of Leopold I.

During May 1869, following decades of poor health, Pauline passed away at the age of thirty-two of smallpox. Her dying left Alma-Tadema disheartened and demoralized. In his grief, he stopped painting for almost 4 months. His sister Artje, who dwelt with the family, helped to keep the house as well as assisted with her' brothers daughters, who had been at the time aged five and two. Artje stayed on in the Alma-Tadema household up to 1873 once she wed.

In the summer Tadema himself started to sustain a medical issue that physicians in Brussels were frustratingly not able to name. Gambart finally suggested that he move to England and get a different medical opinion from the doctors in England as to what might be ailing the artist. Alma-Tadema arrived in London, England in December 1869 and was soon was asked to the house of pre-raphalite artist Ford Madox Brown. While at the Brown's home, he was introduced the 17 year old Laura Theresa Epps and fell in love with her at first sight.

In 1970, the eruption of the Franco Prussian War required Alma-Tadema leave the continent and relocate to London. The infatuation with Laura Epps helped encourage his move to England and Gambart thought that living in England would be beneficial to the painter's work.

Alma-Tadema came to London with his small daughters as well as sister Artje in September 1870. The artist quickly got hold of Laura, and it was set up so that he could give her art lessons. In one of these art lessons, he proposed marriage. Because he had been at the time 34 while Laura was yet merely 18, her father at first opposed the marriage. Dr Epps at length agreed upon the stipulation that they would delay the wedding until the couple knew each other more. Lawrence and Laura agreed to this and the two were wed during July 1871. Laura, with her married name, likewise acquired a reputation as a painter. She also would pose as a model for her husband and is seen in several of Alma-Tadema's paintings following the wedding The Women of Amphissa is one such a noteworthy illustration. Alma-Tadema's second marriage was a lasting as well as content one, and although childless, Laura became stepmother to Anna and her sister Laurence.

In England, where Alma-Tadema would pass the remainder of his life, his career continued to be a success. He would become among the most celebrated as well as well paid painters of the period, recognized and honored. During 1871 would be introduced to the majority of the leading Pre-Raphaelite artists and became friends with members of the group, and so it had been partially a result of their influence that the painter lightened up his palette, altered his tones and brightened his brush work.

During 1872 Alma-Tadema coordinated his paintings, organizing a cataloging system in which he would place composition number beneath his signature as well as ascribing his previous works these cataloging numbers. This system made it hard for counterfeits to be taken for originals.

During 1873 Alma-Tadema would become a partial citizen, under restricted rights which fell short of citizenship. The earlier year he and his wife took a trip on the Continent which for over five months which allowed them to visit Brussels, Germany and on to Italy. In Italy the couple saw the ancient ruins once more, at this point Alma-Tadema bought numerous photos, largely of the ruins, that started out his vast collection of folios with archival material which he would later use for his research into historical accuracy when creating succeeding paintings. During January 1876, he leased a studio in Rome. The family went back to London during April, with a stop of calling in the Parisian Salon on their way home.

One of the most significant paintings of this time had been the work An Audience at Agrippa's . When an admirer of the particular piece made the artist an to pay a significant amount for a painting of a like subject, Alma-Tadema merely turned the emperor about to depict him departing in the work titled After the Audience.

In 1879, Alma-Tadema had been established as a a full Academician, which to him had been a personally significant award. Three years following this, a leading retrospective of his full body of work had been coordinated with the Grosvenor Gallery in London, which included 185 of his paintings.

During 1883 he went back to Rome, most importantly to Pompeii, and discovered that additional diggings had occurred since his previous trip. He passed a a good portion time analyzing the area, visiting the location every day. Such expeditions to study the ruins afforded him a sufficient supply of themes as he started to expand his information of day-to-day Roman life. At times the artist would incorporate such a volume of historical objects in his art works that a few claimed It looked like museum catalogs.

With all the hushed appeal and scholarship of his art works, Alma-Tadema himself maintained a vernal sense of mischief. He had been childlike with his antics as well as with unexpected explosions of foul temper that might as abruptly settle into a charming grin. With his private life, Alma-Tadema had been an extrovert with had a outstandingly affectionate personality. He bore many characteristics of a youth, paired with the respected traits of a skilled professional. A perfectionist, he continued in all areas a careful, if slightly obsessional and scholarly painter. He had been an superior businessman, and so among the richest painters of the 19th century. Alma-Tadema was as steadfast in financial affairs as he had been with the caliber of his art. As a gentleman, Lawrence Alma-Tadema was a rugged, playful, caring and rather stout man. There wasn't a speck of the fragile painter about the man; he had been a happy lover of good wine, women and celebrations.

Alma-Tadema's production diminished with the passing of time, due partially a result of poor health although likewise through his fixation for decorating his new dwelling where he relocated to during 1883. All the same, he kept on showing during the 1880s as well as in the following 10 years, taking in a ample awards on the way.

Throughout this period, Alma-Tadema had been quite active in theater designing as well as production, creating numerous costumes. He likewise broadcast his artistic limits and started to design furniture, frequently patterned after Pompeian or Egyptian themes, illustrations, fabrics, and framework. His various interests play up his vast skills. Each effort was utilized in his paintings, for he frequently merged part of his designed furnishings in the piece, and must have applied several of his personal conceptions for the garments of his women figures. In his final time of creativity Alma-Tadema kept creating paintings that duplicate the prosperous pattern of female on marble patios looking across the ocean. From 1906 until his death 6 years afterward, Alma-Tadema painted fewer pieces although even so created ambitions work such as The Finding of Moses.

In August of 1909 Alma-Tadema's wife, Laura, passed away. The grieving widower survived his second wife for fewer than 3 years. His final great piece had been Preparation in the Coliseum. During the summertime of 1912, Alma Tadema went with his daughter Anna to visit the Kaiserhof Spa, in Germany a place he had been to receive treatment for ulcer in his stomach. He died there June 28, 1912 at the age of 76. He is entombed at St. Paul's cathedral in London.

- A Bath An Antique Custom 1876
- A Coign of Vantage 1895
- A Dedication to Bacchus 1889
- A Difference of Opinion 1896
- A Favorite Custom 1909
- A Favourite Custom 1909
- A Greek Woman
- A Greek Woman 1869
- A Hearty Welcome 1878
- A Kiss 1891
- A Kiss 1891
- A Reading from Homer 1885
- A Roman Emperor
- A Roman Studio 1874
- A Sculpture Gallery 1867
- After the Audience 1879
- Agrippina with the Ashes of Germanicus
- Among the Ruins 1902 - 1904
- An Audience
- An Earthly Paradise 1891
- Antony and Cleopatra 1883
- Ask Me No More 1906
- At Aphrodite's Cradle 1908
- Autumn 1877
- Bluebells
- Caracalla and Geta 1907
- Cherries 1873
- Claudius Summoned
- Comparisons 1892
- Confidences 1869
- Egyptian Juggler 1870
- Expectations 1885
- Flag Of Truce 1900
- Flora Spring in the Gardens of the Villa Borghese 1877
- Flora: Spring in the Gardens of the Villa Borghese
- God Speed! 1893
- Her Eyes are with Her Thoughts and They Are Far Away 1897
- Hero 1898
- In the Tepidarium 1881
- Maria Magdalena 1854
- Melody on a Meditaranean Terrace
- Ninety-four in the Shade 1876
- On the Road to the Temple of Ceres: A Spring Festival
- Phidias Showing the Frieze of the Parthenon to his Friends 1868
- Pleading 1876
- Poetry 1879
- Portrait of Mme Bonnefoy and M. Puttemans 1867
- Preparation in the Coliseum 1912
- Promise of Spring 1890
- Sappho and Alcaeus 1881
- Self-Portrait
- Silver Favourites 1903
- Spring 1894
- Spring Flowers
- Strigils and Sponges 1879
- Summer Offering 1911
- The Baths of Caracalla 1899
- The Discourse
- The Favourite Poet 1888
- The Finding of Moses 1904
- The Frigidarium 1890
- The Parting Kiss 1882
- The Pyrrhic Dance 1869
- The Roses of Heliogabalus 1888
- The Soldier of Marathon
- The Triumph of Titus 1885
- The Vintage Festival 1870
- The Women of Amphissa 1887
- The Year's at the Spring. All's Right with the World 1902
- Thou Rose of all the Roses (Detail)
- Unconscious Rivals 1893
- Under the Roof of Blue Ionian Weather 1901
- Vain Courtship 1900
- Welcome Footsteps 1883
- When Flowers return 1911