1
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Painting
The Sculpture Gallery
Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, (Dronerijp, the Netherlands, 1836 - 1912, Wiesbaden, Germany)
Alma-Tadema, Lawrence
Netherlands
1836 - 1912
Male
30 1/4 x 23 1/4 in. (76.8 x 59.1 cm)
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approximate installation dimensions
frame
Oil
Oil
1875
1875
1875
1800-1900, 19th century, children, men, Orientalism, paintings, women
Painting
Alma-Tadema is known for his historical and anecdotal scenes set in classical antiquity or medieval Europe. The Sculpture Gallery is one of a number of scenes showing patrons at an ancient art gallery or sculptor’s studio. Here a slave—recognizable by the tablet hanging around his neck—displays a basin ornamented with Scylla, the mythological sea-serpent. The 19th-century collecting audience could likely identify the "Infant Hercules Struggling with a Snake," from the Capodimonti Museum in Naples at the left, and on the right, the statue of Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine, from the Capitoline museum in Rome. The Roman visitors are modelled on members of Alma-Tadema's family, including the artist’s wife and children, at the center.
The artist travelled widely and visited historic sites, gaining a reputation for his accuracy in depicting ancient settings and artifacts. However, it was modern technology that helped him achieve this renown: the artist collected professional photographs of artworks and artifacts found on archaeological digs, using these images as the basis for his scenes.
[Gallery label text, 2011]
upper leftback of panel,
back of panelback of panelback of panel, also appears at least twice on back of frameback of panel, Partly torn away.back of frameback of frameback of frame, Partly obscured by a labelback of frameback of frameback of frameback of frame
1989.45
item
Memorial Art Gallery
11/2/2000
89.45TR1
transparency
4 x 5
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89.45SL1
slide
full
2 x 2
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glossy
8x10
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negative
4x5
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89.45DI1
digital image
4 x 5
00/00/00
http://127.0.0.1:5000/Media/images/89.45_A1.jpg
89.45DI#2
digital image
4/7/2009
http://127.0.0.1:5000/Media/images/89.45_A2.jpg