Bear with me while I go into lecture mode today. NOTE: Not many words, lots of pictures - an easy read!
Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema is one of my favorite artists. It's sad that he's not as well known as some of the more famous (but in my opinion) less talented artists who simply had more flair and the ability to shock.
For instance, he died at the ripe old age of 76. He had never chopped off his ear and sent it to a hooker (Van Gogh). He never hung out with hookers and in dancehalls (Lautrec). He was never silly enough to try to get attention by sticking a crucifix in urine. He never did anything of any extreme eccentricity.
His first marriage was apparently a marriage of love and not convenience. His wife appeared as a model in some of his paintings, though after her death he would never speak of her. However, as we all know, relationships can be terribly complicated and he may have had mixed feelings as she was known to be of a nervous disposition. Possibly, he was quite relieved and guilty simultaneously. He snapped out of it quickly and fell in love with his second wife within less than a year.
He painted in a very classical style. He adored Pompeii and spent a great deal of time in the ruins. Greek art was a great inspiration to him. He was famous for his ability to depict marble accurately. Other artists at the time tried to imitate that, but failed to varying degrees. His trees were so lifelike you can almost see them wave in the breeze. Many of his paintings appear to be so real, you feel you might be able to simply walk into them.
During his life, he painted few nudes. Of course religious prudes objected (such as various Catholic Bishops of the time) but that sort of controversy was always to be expected. However, his nudes, as all his pictures, were exceptionally beautiful and realistic while simultaneously poignant and evocative.
His models aren't what we consider beautiful today, but remember that this was in an era with no medicines. Beauty was anyone that wasn't pockmarked, diseased, or missing teeth.
Without further ado, here are some of my favorites (don't forget that you can click on them to see a bigger version):
For additional information and more paintings of Sir Lawrence, go here.
13 comments:
I have never heard of this man, but his paintings are beautiful. I think his nude, the one that you displayed, is beautiful. I like a woman with a little more girth. I can't stand to see those models that look like a twig. Thanks for your lesson
You know what I love most about this post? You admire not only the artist and his work---but you admire his life---outside of his art.......you look beyond the paintings to see who he truly was.
That's rare. Great post, and beautiful pictures!
Realism is really real. Hard to pick a favorite out of all those. Super gifted, he was.
Very beautiful.
"Beauty was anyone that wasn't pockmarked, diseased, or missing teeth." That cracked me up!!
Never heard of him. I have to confess that I'm not usually that fond of Realism, but this guy was really good at it!
What do you mean his models weren't beautiful. I thought they were outstanding. If I weren't too old to get excited, his models would have excited me.
3 Score & 10 really? I didn't find them at all attractive whatsoever. What I find attractive is the skill involved in the painting, and the peacefulness that most of the paintings exude. Maybe my standards are too high because the women in my family have all been models. Sometimes you take certain things for granted. I tend to see us as the average. That's not to sound snobby, just trying to show my perspective.
TLP, so what styles do you prefer? I think it depends on the artist, not the style. There are some realists that I can't stand. But he's really considered to be more of a romantic rather than a realist.
FTS, yeah, his work grabbed me the first time I saw it, too!
Jamie Dawn, :D
Old Hoss, I also have a hard time picking a favorite, so I posted my favorites of the selections I could find on the net. But there are others that are just as gorgeous...
Deb, thanks, hon! I guess that's the counselor coming out in me. I want to look under the surface and see what makes someone tick.
Lucy, She IS lovely, isn't she? She must've been very young (she's quite perky). He also painted some lovely nudes bathing, but I figured that I had enough faves to post as it is!
I like the way you described the trees, "so lifelike that you can almost see them wave in the breeze". How true!
I loved your selections, as they were beautiful pictures... so detailed and rich, you would have thought the people to be real.
Thank you for sharing them!
Thank you for teaching me something new today.
Beautiful paintings. I want to see more of those.
I love pictures. The more the better. And, to boot, I learned something today. A bonus!
Fred, me too! Glad you enjoyed it!
Ellen, thank you! I'm really glad you enjoyed them.
Aunt Josephina, thanks! Try clicking on the little link I put up at the end of my mini lecture. You can read more about him, and see more images. You can also google him and find more pictures. I only put up my favorites.
I have seen some of these paintings before, but I never knew who painted them. Some of these painting look like photograph ... you know what I mean.
Good post! Very educational, as many of your post are.
Did Van Goth really chop his ear of and send it to a hooker? I love Van Goth's sunflowers.
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