You’d think a painting of him in battle would be ideal, not one of him being dragged from a brothel.
Alma-Tadema
Beautiful paintings, devoid of narrative, symbols, or meaning. They represent the height of the Aesthetic movement: ‘pure’ art.
Specialising in Dutch domestic scenes in the 17th century, she explored reflections, and was assiduous in authenticity of details.
Where to see many of his paintings: an exhibition running now.
A precocious painter of detail, her style appears to have undergone radical change by about 1900.
After a brush with almost Impressionist landscapes, did he settle down and paint Rome and Greece purely for the sake of art?
After his reputation was shredded by Roger Fry, Alma-Tadema was almost forgotten. Why should his work now be revived?
His classical narratives are as sophisticated as Leighton’s, his spectacles as good as Gérôme at his best, and he made some of the best paintings of the Aesthetic movement.
Introduction to a series explaining the history of oil paint, effects on techniques, hence on paintings themselves.
The Eclectic Light Company 