Time for a tribute to Lourens Alma Tadema and why not? Vermeer, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Mondriaan and De Kooning are house hold names. Perhaps not as famous as these artists, this dutch painter spent much of his time in the United Kingdom. Maybe if people would see one of his famous Roman sceneries they surely would recognize the style. Allegedly he often is accused of creating the ultimate kitsch whereas in fact it is quite the opposite. Personally I think his depictions of classical antiquity do not constitute contrived sentiment at all. Surely, his love couples sitting on a marble bench hurt my gums sometimes. But what about the display of that marble! I have never seen such fine celebration of the love for textures, except with Jan van Eyck. Whether it is marble, sea or skin textures, they all are convincing and they arouse a certain jealousy.
