Description
Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1836-1912) was one of the finest and most distinctive of the Victorian painters. Dutch-born, he moved to London in 1870, and became famous for his depictions of the luxury and decadence of the Roman Empire, set in fabulous marbled interiors or against a backdrop of dazzling blue Mediterranean sea and sky.
In this original and penetrating study, Rosemary Barrow presents an absorbing and often amusing portrait of an exuberant personality who carved out a brilliant career for himself at the heart of London's artistic and cultural élite. Most uniquely, she subjects the paintings to a fresh scrutiny, to reveal that Alma-Tadema, a knowledgeable student of antiquity, repeatedly used literary and archaeological allusions in his paintings to subvert their apparently innocent meaning.
Neglected after his death, Alma-Tadema's paintings are once again admired for their exquisite beauty and their remarkable mastery of light, colour and texture. With its fresh and intriguing new insights into his personality and intentions as well as his works, this book now provides a challenging reassessment of a major artist and fascinating person.
Author: Rosemary Barrow
Publisher: Phaidon Press
Published: 10/01/2003
Pages: 208
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 2.82lbs
Size: 11.38h x 9.74w x 0.86d
ISBN13: 9780714843582
ISBN10: 071484358X
BISAC Categories:
- Art | Individual Artists | General
About the Author
Rosemary J Barrow is a Lecturer in the School of Humanities, King's College, London, and has lectured and published widely on Alma-Tadema.