Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema was a Dutch expatriate living in England
(A.D. 1836 - 1912). His paintings are true classics of Victorian
style. The main subjects of his paintings are usually the stories,
landscapes, men and women situated in the ancient Mediterranean
environment. He is famous for his detailed representation, typically
picturing girls on marble benches or by marble fences dreaming of or
waiting for his lover, listening to poet, or reading epics under
the blue sunny sky with enchanted sapphire Mediterranean sea in the
background. It is quite an incredible art of escapism, sentimentalism
plus a little eroticism, making people long to the ancient classic ages.
One example of this sytle which the His Holiness the Grand Master love
the most among all the work by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema is the painting
entitled as "The Voice of Spring". It is a picture of people
enjoying the coming of spring on a coastal grassy hill side. The
main subject is a charming young lady sitting on the marble bench in front
of a marble sculpture and surroundings. In the background, people are
gathering flowers, playing with children, or listening to a poet.
Very pastorally beautiful!
The first painting is entitled as "Expectations", which represents his
typical style as described above.
The latter two paintings shown here are entitled respectively as "A Favourite
Custom" and "The Baths of Caracalla". You may see the style
clearly from his reconstruction on the painting of the gigantic bathing
hall of the ancient Rome, which is capable to house 1600 bathers.
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