Lawrence Alma Tadema Ölgemälde Reproduktion: Lawrence Alma Tadema Ölgemälde

Lawrence Alma-Tadema is a renowned English painters of late 19 century. Usually Lawrence was admired because of his top class draftsmanship and 'reallistic' painting of Classical antiquity, Lawrence Alama was much loved by Victorian collectors . Alma-Tadema was born in 1836. His parents were living at Dubbele Straat 2, in Dronrijp, a small farmers village 4 miles west of Leeuwarden. It is on the canal the port-hamlet of Harlingen. He got his godfather's name, Lourens Alma, to which his own surname was latter added. Alma-Tadema approached art when he was very young, possibly at the age of four. His mother liked art, and she tried that drawing lessons should be incorporated into his education. In 1840 Cornelius Wester, the village drawing master, began to tutor the older children. Curious to join in his brothers' learning of paintings and drawings, Alma-Tadema drew his first picture, a caterpillar on some leaves. It was not long before he equalled his older brothers in drawing; at one time he even corrected the drawing-master's painting. In all his school days, Alma-Tadema seems to enjoy popularity and usually he was in the center of things.During those early days Alma-Tadema's best friend was an boy, Christoffel Bisschop. Lawrence probably met and made friend with him during art lessons. Both artists were finally succeeded although their careers and style of paintings are different. His first commission of painting, and earliest known oil painting, was in 1849 when the three children of Watse and Henrietta Hamstra commissioned Alma-Tadema to paint their portrait. It was painted in silence as it was a gift for their parents. The Lawrence Alama-Tadema's reproduction of The Miracle of the Abbot of Liauckema painted for Dr Ottema, was completed in 1849 too. Edmund Gosse says that Portrait of "my Sister, Artje" was begun in 1849, and it had not been finished until the following year. Alama-Tadema sent it to exhibition in Leeuwarden and was delighted when it was accepted and exhibited. Leeuwarden did not left many things for studying pictures. Sensitive to this and fearing that he might never excel because of it, Alma-Tadema tried to visit every house in town which had paintings, and used any opportunity possible to view the work of local painters. William van der Kooi's excellent portrait works have influenced the Alma-Tadema.