Lawrence Alma-Tadema

Lawrence Alma-Tadema's paintings place figures in reconstructed settings from the ancient Mediterranean. Architecture, furniture, flowers, and costume make the surroundings as prominent as the people, while close attention to marble and other materials gives the scenes a tangible surface. The Finding of Moses and Unconscious Rivals depict moments of ceremony or encounter. Their details reflect nineteenth-century study and imagination, rather than a literal record of ancient daily life.