Later Victorian Portraits Catalogue

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1836-1912), Painter

Self-portraits
Undated self-portrait
By other artists
Undated portrait
Posthumous portrait
Photographs
Undated photographs

Self-portraitsback to top


Several self-portraits are included as figures in Alma-Tadema’s subject pictures. The majority of his easel paintings are identified by a chronological opus number.

1852
Oil on canvas, 585 x 485mm, opus II, half-length, half-profile to right, before easel; Fries Museum, Leeuwarden, S1957-848. Exh. Grosvenor G., London, Winter 1883 (1); British Portraits, RA Winter 1956–7 (426); Van Gogh M., Amsterdam, 1996–7 and Walker AG, Liverpool 1997 (80); repr. Swanson 1990, no.7; Becker et al. 1996, no.80; and (as engr.) Getty Images, 50670141.

1859
Pencil drawing, 380 x 458mm (framed), head-and-shoulders, three-quarter profile to right, with family members; Fries Museum, Leeuwarden, PO9377. Repr. Swanson 1990, p.26.

1867
Oil on canvas, A Roman Family (opus LVII), whole-length, profile to right, seated in costume; untraced. Repr. Swanson 1990, no.93.

1868
Oil on panel, 559 x 845mm, A Roman Lover of Art (opus LVIII), whole-length to right, seated in costume; Yale U. AG, New Haven, 1965.25. Repr. Swanson 1990, no.102.

1871
Oil on canvas, 275 x 375mm, head-and-shoulders to right, with wife Laura Alma-Tadema; Fries Museum, Leeuwarden, S08693. Repr. Swanson 1990, no.133.

1874
Oil on canvas, 953 x 647mm, A Roman Studio (opus CXXXVI), whole-length to left, profile to left, with one foot resting upon a bench, looking towards a work upon an easel at left-hand side of composition; untraced; with Peter Nahum, c.2000. Exh. Glasgow Inst. 1875; Birmingham RSA 1896 (349); RA 1913 (24); and Brigham Young U., Utah, 1979 (17); ref. Swanson 1990, no.174 (ill.); also repr. AJ, 1886, frontispiece; and Burlington Magazine, Apr. 1972, p.lxix (front matter).
See also Lady Alma-Tadema.
Preparatory drawing for the work, 221 x 294mm, signed and inscr. ‘Croquis pour le tableau nommé “Antistius Labeon”’; BM, London, 1954,0508.35.

Oil on canvas, 2197 x 1715mm, A Sculpture Gallery (opus CXXV), whole-length, seated, arm outstretched to right; Hood MA, Dartmouth College, Hanover, USA, P.961.125. Repr. Swanson 1990, no.164.

1875
Oil on canvas, 768 x 590mm, A Sculpture Gallery (opus CLVII), whole-length, seated, arm outstretched to right; Memorial AG, Rochester, NY, 89.45. Ref. Swanson 1990, no.193 (ill.)

1877
Oil on copper, 295 x 300mm, variously known as Painters, Roman Art Class and The Artist’s Model (opus CLXXVII), signed and inscr. lower right, dated to 17 June 1877, half-length, seated, with stylus and drawing slate or wax plate; M. Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba (where entitled Un estudio romano). Exh. Grosvenor G., London, 1878 (29); and Agnews Ltd, Manchester, 1881 (149); repr. Swanson 1990, no.216 (from an old photograph).

1880
Oil on canvas, A Harvest Festival (opus CCXX), three-quarter-length, as pipe-player; coll. Forbes Magazine, 1992. Ref. Swanson 1990, no.263 (ill.)

1883
Oil on canvas, oval, opus CCLX, head-and-shoulders to right, with pince-nez; Aberdeen AG, ABDAG002534. Repr. as engr. MA, 1893, p.9; and Swanson 1990, no.293.

1885–7
Oil on copper, 960 x 830mm oval, head only, to front, with heads of his daughters and nephew Pieter; untraced. Repr. Swanson 1990, no.315. While ascribing this work to the mid-1880s, Swanson 1990, p.233 also says the artist’s nephew Pieter stayed with his relatives during 1897–8 while studying architecture ‘and this picture was probably painted during the first half of that visit’. In fact, in the group portrait Pieter appears to be aged about 10, and the earlier date is thus more probable.

1894
Oil on canvas, Spring (opus CCCXXVI), signed and dated, half-length, standing in costume as Roman priest; Getty M., Los Angeles, 72.PA.3. Repr. Swanson 1990, no.363.

1896
Oil on canvas, opus CCCXLI, half-length, half-profile to right, fair greying hair, grey-blue eyes, at easel; Uffizi, Florence, 1890.n.3132. Exh. RA Winter 1913 (212); and Firenze e l’Inghilterra, Pitti Palace, Florence, 1971 (74); repr. Swanson 1990, no.379; and Caneva 2002, no.59.

Oil on panel, 305 x 279mm, head only, wearing straw hat, in background of family group; RA, London, 03/408. Repr. Swanson 1990, no.375.

1907
Oil on canvas, 460 x 610mm, opus CCCLXXXVII, signed and inscr. ‘Portrait of myself for the R. Accademia Romana di San Luca’; repainted and ‘reopused’ as next item, no longer extant in original form. Exh. RA 1908 (113); repr. Cassell’s RA Pictures 1908, p.89; ‘RA Pictures’, Pall Mall Gazette ‘Extra’, 1908, p.5; and Swanson 1990, no.418.

1912
Oil on canvas, 457 x 610mm, opus CCCCVII (reworked canvas from previous item), head-and-shoulders to front, wearing wide-brimmed straw hat, right hand holding brush, with small portrait of mother; Accademia di San Luca, Rome. Repr. Swanson 1977, p.30; and Swanson 1990, no.431.


Undated self-portraitback to top


Pen and ink caricature drawing, 64 x 102mm, signed, hair, beard, moustache and pince-nez indicated; The Rob Dickins Coll., Watts G., Compton, COMWG2008.1078.


By other artistsback to top


1871
Etching by William Bell Scott, head-and-shoulders, profile to right, with wife Laura Alma-Tadema; BM, London (ref. O’Donoghue 1908–1922, vol.1, p.241, no.1). Repr. Christie’s, 6 Nov. 1995 (101).

c.1874
Terracotta bust by Aimé-Jules Dalou; destroyed. Exh. RA 1874 (1606).

publ. 1875
Design by (Edward) Linley Sambourne for At The Academy – “A Picture Puzzle.”, head only, profile to right, attached to a large clothes peg pinning his canvas to a washing line, with others; untraced. Repr. Punch, 22 May 1875, p.222; Herkomer 1910–11, vol.1, facing p.82; McMaster 2008, p.66, fig.7; and McMaster 2009, p.27, fig.14.
See also Butler, Calderon, Du Maurier, Fildes, Foster, Frith, Goodall, Herkomer, Hodgson, Leighton, Marks, Millais.

Design by (Edward) Linley Sambourne for Academicians and Outsiders – A Battle-piece., half-length, large head profile to left, seated on horse, with arms crossed; untraced. Repr. Punch, 26 June 1875, p.278.
See also Ansdell, Boughton, Butler, Calderon, Cope, Du Maurier
, Frith, Herkomer, Horsley, Leighton, Marks, Millais, Orchardson, Sant.

publ. 1877
Design by (Edward) Linley Sambourne for Welcome, Little Stranger! Or the R.A Cock of the Walk and the Bond Street Bird of (Art) Paradise, head included with others among the tail feathers of the RA bird; untraced. Repr. Punch, 12 May 1877, p.214; McMaster 2008, p.67, fig.10; and McMaster 2009, p.31, fig.17.
See also Calderon, Goodall, Horsley, Leighton, Lindsay, Marks, Millais, Orchardson, Sant.

c.1877
Pencil drawing 180 x 108mm, by Frederick Bacon Barwell, head-only, wearing spectacles, with beard, on same page with portrait studies of John Pettie and P.H. Calderon; coll. Scott Thomas Buckle.
See also: Pettie, Calderon.

1878
Oil on canvas by Nicaise de Keyser, Les Grands Artistes, Ecole du XIXme siècle, head-and-shoulders, half-profile to right, in group; M. des Beaux-Arts, Nice. Repr. Connoisseur, vol.90, 1975, pp.82, 85; and Swanson 1977, p.15.
See also Frith, Millais.

publ. 1878
Design by (Edward) Linley Sambourne, Ars Britannica, whole-length, with oversized head, slightly profile to right, perched at the top of a huge statue; untraced. Engr. by Swain repr. Punch, 1 June 1878, p.251; McMaster 2008, p.68, fig.13; and McMaster 2009, p.36, fig.20.
See also Boehm, Calderon, Du Maurier, Frith, Horsley, Leighton, Marks, Millais, Orchardson, Poynter.

1878–9
Bronze by G.B. Amendola, bust; untraced. Exh. RA 1879 (1568, with companion bust of Laura Alma-Tadema); and RSPP 1894 (225); ref. Graphic, 7 June 1879, p.558 (‘as clever as [it] is exaggerated’).

1879
Caricature drawing on blue paper, 441 x 277mm, by Carlo Pellegrini, inscr. ‘Carlo Pellegrini / Ape / Alma-Tadema’ across image and stamped ‘UNFINISHED PREPARATORY SKETCH’ lower left, whole-length, half-profile to left, wearing spectacles, holding a palette; BM, London, 1939,0303.33.
Chromolithograph by Vincent Brooks, Day & Son, 311 x 184mm; repr. Vanity Fair, 22 Mar. 1879 (captioned ‘Ancient Painting’). Copy NPG D43895.

publ. 1879
Design by (Edward) Linley Sambourne for Royal Academy Canvas-backs; or, A High (Art) Tide., head, profile to left, attached to body of a duck riding the crest of a wave; untraced. Repr. Punch, 12 July 1879, p.6; McMaster 2008, p.69, fig.15; and McMaster 2009, p.38, fig.22.
See also Ansdell, Armitage, Boughton, Butler, Calderon, Cope, Du Maurier, Fildes, Goodall, Herkomer, Holl, Horsley, Leighton, Marks, Millais, Orchardson, Poynter, Prinsep, Sant, Watts.

?c.1880
Pencil drawing by unidentified artist, head-and-shoulders, looking left; untraced. Repr. as vignette in Swanson 1977, half-title.

1881
Pen and ink drawing, 306 x 444mm, by (Edward) Linley Sambourne for Royal Academy Banquet at Burlington House., a comic take on William Salter’s The Waterloo Banquet, signed and dated Apr. 1881, head-and-shoulders, facing forwards, seated twelfth from right in back row of RAs; Aberdeen AG, ABDAG003898. Repr. Punch, 7 May 1881, p.206; Gould 2004, p.154, fig.122; McMaster 2008, p.70, fig.18; McMaster 2009, p.42, fig.25; and Ormond 2010, p.83, fig.30.
See also Ansdell, Armitage, Barlow, Boehm, Boughton, Calderon, Cope, Faed, Fildes, Frith, Goodall, Herkomer, Hodgson, Holl, Horsley, Leighton, Marks, Millais, Orchardson, Pearson, Pettie, Pickersgill, Poynter, Prinsep, Sant, Thornycroft, Watts, Woolner, Yeames.

1882
Pen and ink drawing, 317 x 419mm, by (Edward) Linley Sambourne for Saturday Review of the Royal Academy.- The March Past., signed and dated Apr. 1882, head-and-shoulders, wearing peaked cap, amongst the rows of Academy ‘troops’; coll. Juliet McMaster. Engr. by Swain repr. Punch, 6 May 1882, p.206; McMaster 2008, p.71, fig.20; and McMaster 2009, p.46, fig.27.
See also Ansdell, Barlow, Boehm, Boughton, Calderon, Cope, Faed, Frith, Goodall, Herkomer, Hodgson, Holl, Horsley, Leighton, Marks, Millais, Orchardson, Pettie, Pickersgill, Poynter, Prinsep, Sant, Watts, Woolner.

before 1883
Etching, 147 x 117mm (support), by John Elmsly Inglis, head only, profile to left, with line engraving of decorated AT monogram; NPG D9588.

1883
Etching, 370 x 250mm, by Paul Adolphe Rajon, captioned ‘Drawn and etched by P. Rajon’, head, profile to right, curly moustache, tousled hair; BM, London (ref. O’Donoghue 1908–1922, vol.6, p.10, no.4); three impressions NPG D7343, NPG D7344 and NPG D7345 (one with rubric ‘Published London July 18th 1883 by the British and Foreign Artists Association / Entered according to the Act of Congress in the year 1883 by Knoedler & Co in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington’).

publ. 1883
Drawing by (Edward) Linley Sambourne for Royal Academy May-Pole Dance., signed and dated Apr. 1883, whole-length, seated to front at top of the maypole; untraced. Engr. by Swain repr. Punch, 12 May 1883, p.218; McMaster 2008, p.72, fig.26; and McMaster 2009, p.56, fig.33.
See also Ansdell, Barlow, Boehm, Boughton, Calderon, Cope, Faed, Frith, Goodall, Herkomer, Hodgson, Holl, Horsley, Leighton, Marks, Millais, Orchardson, Pettie, Pickersgill, Poynter, Prinsep, Sant, Woolner, Yeames.

Lithograph, 300 x 222mm, possibly by Theodore Blake Wirgman, whole-length, seated on divan, looking to left, knees apart; repr. as ‘Celebrities of the Day. No.I / L.Alma-Tadema. R.A. / drawn from life’, Graphic, supplement to 30 June 1883, with biographical text on p.646.

Drawing by Alfred Bryan, signed and dated, inscr. under image ‘Mr L. Alma Tadema’, half-length wearing pince-nez, holding paper in right hand, on page with montage of other figures including Dame Ellen Alice Terry; untraced. Repr. Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, 14 July 1883, captioned ‘July the fourth in St James’s Hall’ (cutting Garrick Club, London, Fitzgerald Irving scrapbooks, vol.6, p.7).

1883–9
Two sketches by Edward Burne-Jones:
(a) pen and ink, 80 x 70mm, in undated letter to Mrs George Lewis, whole-length, rear view, wearing toga and laurel wreath; Bodleian L., Oxford, Mss. c.835, f.188. ‘My dear Tadema was broader than he was long, last night – broader, mark you, than long – Now isn’t that happy? how he has endeared himself by this last act’.
(b) pencil, 185 x 133mm, in album of letters to Miss Katie Lewis, annotated on separate sheet ‘Caricature of Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema at a fancy dress party dressed as a Roman’, whole-length, rear view, wearing toga and holding Roman thyrsus in right hand; BM, London, 1961,1041.2.50.

1884
Oil on canvas by John Collier, half-length, standing holding palette and brushes in front of easel with painting of ‘Hadrian of England’; untraced. Exh. Lefevre’s G., London, 1884; and New G., London, 1892. Engr. as mezzotint by Thomas Lewis Atkinson, publ. by Leon Henri Lefèvre 1885 (artist’s proof signed by engraver, BM, London, 1886,1206.78).

publ. 1884
Drawing by (Edward) Linley Sambourne for Fancy Dress at the Royal Academy; or, Men of Mark in Costumes of Their Own Design., three-quarter-length to front, arms crossed, wearing toga and laurel wreath; untraced. Engr. by Swain repr. Punch, 24 May 1884, p.250; McMaster 2008, p.73, fig.28; and McMaster 2009, p.58, fig.35. This would seem to relate to a real fancy-dress occasion – see items above.
See also Calderon, Faed, Foster, Frith, Goodall, Hodgson, Holl, Horsley, Leighton, Marks, Millais, Orchardson, Pettie, Pickersgill, Poynter, Prinsep, Watts, Yeames.

publ. 1885
Drawing by (Edward) Linley Sambourne for The Royal Academy Argonauts., head only, first from left in a line of RA oarsmen, working oars fashioned from oversized artist’s palettes; untraced. Engr. by Swain repr. Punch, 9 May 1885, p.219; McMaster 2008, p.71, fig.19; and McMaster 2009, p.45, fig.26.
See also Calderon, Holl, Horsley, Leighton, Millais, Orchardson, Pettie, Poynter, Watts.

Drawing by (Edward) Linley Sambourne for The Pictures of 1885 and the Men Who Paint Them., signed, head only, with body of a butterfly, to left-hand side; untraced. Repr. Pall Mall Gazette ‘Extra’, no.17, 1885, frontispiece.
See also Barlow, Holl, Leighton, Millais, Orchardson, Pettie

publ. 1886
Drawing by (Edward) Linley Sambourne for Art in Olympus; or, the Academia of the Gods., half-length, seated with face towards the viewer, dressed as Bacchus, holding aloft bunches of grapes; untraced. Repr. Punch, 8 May 1886, p.218; McMaster 2008, p.74, fig.31; and McMaster 2009, p.64, fig.38.
See also Barlow, Calderon, Frith, Goodall, Holl, Horsley, Leighton, Marks, Millais, Orchardson, Pettie, Poynter, Watts.

publ. 1887
Drawing by Charles-Paul Renouard, The Opening of the Royal Academy: The Selecting Committee at Work, half-length, profile to left in top hat, inspecting a picture with other members of the committee at the RA; untraced. Repr. Graphic, 7 May 1887, p.476, 477; and Sunday Times, 5 May 1968, front page.
See also Leighton, Marks, Orchardson, Sant, A. Waterhouse, Yeames.

Composite engr. by unidentified artist, after photographs of well-known individuals, A Memento of Her Majesty’s Jubilee Year – 1887, head-and-shoulders, profile to right in centre of composition; repr. Graphic, 17 Dec. 1887, between pp.672–3 (supplement, double-page pullout), with a key to the figures on p.678.
See also Boehm, Leighton, Millais, Morris, Ruskin, Stanley, Tenniel, Watts.

publ. 1888
Drawing by (Edward) Linley Sambourne for Royal Academy Cotillion at Burlington House., signed and dated May 1888, whole-length, bending to right, executing a graceful attitude in a toga; untraced. Engr. by Swain repr. Punch, 12 May 1888 p.218; McMaster 2008, p.75, fig.32; and McMaster 2009, p.67, fig.40.
See also Barlow, Boehm, Calderon, Frith, Goodall, Hodgson, Holl, Horsley, Leighton, Marks, Millais, Orchardson, Pettie, Poynter.

Drawing from life by Charles Paul Renouard, signed by artist bottom right, whole-length to front seated on stool in studio holding palette and brushes and looking towards seated female model, posing as Maenad for The Women of Amphissa (RA 1887 (305)); Louvre, Paris, RF1714, recto. Repr. as engr. Harper’s Bazar (US ed.), 14 July 1888, front cover; repr. as process print Graphic 18 August 1888, p.200.

Drawing by Thomas Walter Wilson for The 10th of December – Prize Day, signed bottom left-hand corner, whole-length, seated with legs crossed, facing front, to right-hand side in multi-figure group; untraced. Engr. by R. Taylor repr. MA, 1888, p.61.
See also Gregory, Hodgson, Horsley, Leighton, Millais, Prinsep, Sant, Watts.

Drawing by unidentified artist, three-quarter-length, standing, profile to left, reading from sheet, giving a speech at the Liverpool Art Congress for inaugural meeting of The National Association for the Advancement of Art and its Application to Industry, Dec. 1888; untraced. Engr. by Tilby repr. ILN, 15 Dec. 1888, p.707 (on page with similar representations of George Aitchison and others).
See also Crane, Leighton.

Two drawings by unidentified artist, possibly ‘J.H’, for The National Association for the Advancement of Art and its Application to Industry, half-length, leaning forward resting chin in hand (no.9 on key) and whole-length, standing to right, arms resting on lectern, delivering a speech (no.6 on key) at the Liverpool Congress, Dec. 1888; untraced. Repr. Graphic, 15 Dec. 1888, cover; and Dorment 1985, p.94, fig.51.
See also Crane, Ford, Gilbert, Hunt, Leighton, W. Morris.

1889
Oil on canvas by Henry Jamyn Brooks; see NPG 1833.

publ. 1890
Wood-engr. by E.J.(?).W., Artistic Stars, head only, within a star topped by a classical wreath, positioned lower centre; repr. Punch, Christmas number (‘Punch among the Planets’), Dec. 1890.
See also Boehm, Boughton, Calderon, Fildes, Frith, Herkomer, Hodgson, Leighton, Millais, Poynter.

1891
Pen and ink drawing by G. Grenville Manton; see NPG 2820.

Pencil drawing, 394 x 279mm, by (William) Walker Hodgson, signed and dated 21 Nov. 1891, half-length, seated, looking slightly to right, wearing glasses; untraced. Ref. Christie’s, 6 Dec. 1957 (part of lot 7); Christopher Wood G., London, 1984 (58); Christie’s, 6 Nov. 1995 (81, ill.); Sotheby’s Colonnade, 26 Feb. 1997 (315); and Sotheby’s, Sussex, 14 Oct. 1999 (650); repr. [Wood] 1984, back cover. See also NPG collection 4041(1–5)

1892
Drawing by Leonard Raven Hill, signed and dated ‘L. Raven Hill, 92’, three-quarter-length, profile to right, seated working on watercolour, wearing hat; untraced. Repr. AJ, 1892, p.187.

Pen and ink caricature drawing by Harry Furniss, signed, head, profile to right, in a squeeze of paint with others on a palette held by figure of Art, third head down; untraced. Engr. by ‘CH’ repr. ‘Pictures of 1892’, Pall Mall Gazette ‘Extra’, no.62, 2 May 1892, cover.
See also Calderon, Frith, Leighton, Marks, Millais, Orchardson, Watts.

publ. 1892
Drawing by Alexander Stuart Boyd, signed bottom left, half-length seated to front with left arm resting on chair back, in evening dress and wearing pince-nez, on page featuring other members of the 'Sette of Odd Volumes' at 'Japan Night' in June 1892, including Alfred East; untraced. Repr. Daily Graphic, 6 Jun. 1892, p.1 (captioned 'Ye Odd Volumes: "United once a month to form a Perfect Sette"').

c.1892
Pen and ink drawing by Reginald Cleaver; see NPG 4245.

Design by Thomas Walter Wilson, for The Athenaeum Club: Ballot Day, signed lower left, head-and-shoulders, slightly profile left wearing pince-nez (no.42 on key), in room full of members; untraced. Wood-engr. by Paul Hermann Naumann repr. unidentified publication; repr. with key, Cowell 1975, p.141 (captioned 'Ballot Day, 1892').
See also Burton, Leighton, Lister.

publ.1894
Design by Edward Tennyson Reed, for 'Prehistoric Peeps: Opening of the Primeval Royal Academy', signed, half-length to front in prehistoric dress, bottom right-hand corner of gathering of 'cavemen' Royal Academicians, amongst wall painting exhibits; untraced. Repr. as an engr. Punch, 12 May 1894, p.226
See also Calderon, Ford, Frampton, Gilbert, Gregory, Herkomer, Horsley, Leighton, Lucas, Marks, Millais, Moore, Orchardson, Poynter, Stone, Thornycroft.

c.1895
Crayon and paint drawing by Sydney Prior Hall; see NPG 4404.

Pencil drawing by Sydney Prior Hall; see NPG 4388.

1895–6
Bronze bust, 521mm high, by Edward Onslow Ford, signed and dated 1895; RA, London, 03/1720. Exh. RA 1896 (1880); Van Gogh, M., Amsterdam, 1996–7 and Walker AG, Liverpool, 1997; repr. Becker et al. 1996, p.267, no.88. This was Ford’s RA diploma work.
Two other casts recorded:
(a) given to Antwerp Academy 1900, destroyed WW2.
(b) in sitter’s possession at death; ref. Becker et al. 1996, p.267.
Marble version of same work; Birmingham UL. Possibly exh. RA 1911 (695); ref. AJ, 1896, p.168; repr. Cassell’s RA Pictures 1896, p.44; and Swanson 1990, p.93 (see below, ‘Photographs, 1912’).

1896
?Watercolour by N.Waail, half-length, profile to left, standing, right hand raised, in ante-hall of home; untraced. Repr. MA, Nov. 1896, p.42 in article by M.H. Spielmann ‘with illustrations by N.Waail’, apparently engraved as or from photogravure.

c.1897
Pen and ink sketch by Harry Furniss, head only, wearing spectacles, peering intently to right at stage-set model with Henry Irving to right; M. of London, 56.44/34.

1898
Caricature drawing by Max Beerbohm, whole-length, profile to left; untraced. Repr. Sketch, 16 Nov. 1898; ref. Hart-Davis 1972, p.22, no.16.

Drawing by H.M. Paget, Prize Day at the Royal Academy Schools: Sir Edward Poynter PRA presenting the awards, three-quarter-length, seated in audience; untraced. Repr. Graphic, 17 Dec. 1898, p.767.
See also Herkomer, Poynter, W.H. Thornycroft.

publ.1898
Caricature by Edward Tennyson Reed, whole-length profile to left, seated on ground drawing, as an imaginary creature with paint brushes for spikes at back; untraced. Publ. Reed 1898, no.19 (captioned 'The Tadd').

1899
Drawing by Edwin Austin Abbey for menu card ‘To Tadema: Greeting’, for banquet in sitter’s honour, head to front, wearing antique helmet and glasses; untraced; image on NPG EW neg. no.975/3. Repr. MA, 1899, p.137.

publ. 1899
Wood-engr. by unidentified artist, head-and-shoulders to front, looking to left, wearing pince-nez; repr. ILN, 1 Apr. 1899, p.443 (front cover). While this image would seem to be drawn from a photograph, the details do not exactly correspond with any known photograph. It is a different image to that after a photograph by London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company (see below, ‘Photographs, c.1877’) and was presumably executed to mark Alma-Tadema’s knighthood.

c.1899
Chalks drawing by Robert Ponsonby-Staples; untraced; Phillips, 11 June 1991 (72).

1900
Portrait by John Collier, whole-length; untraced; listed in John Collier Sitters Book 1879–1934 (copy, NPG Archive) and apparently commissioned by Montrose Cloete (it is not clear if his name refers to the Alma-Tadema portrait or the preceding item above or both).

c.1900
Caricature drawings by Max Beerbohm:
(a) whole-length, profile to left; untraced; sold Sotheby’s, 12 Mar. 1975 (2), from collection of Fred Uhlman. Exh. Carfax G., London, 1901; ref. Hart-Davis 1972, p.22, no.17.
(b) half-length, profile to left; untraced; probably sold Sotheby’s Printed Books, 26 July 1984 (645). Ref. Hart-Davis 1972, p.22, no.18.

Pen and ink caricature drawing by Harry Furniss, head only (next to head of Henry Irving), bearded, wearing pince-nez, with backdrop of the 1897 production of Cymbeline designed by the sitter for Irving; M. of London, 56.44/34. Exh. Cartoon & Caricature, Arts Council, 1962 (64).

publ.1902
Pen and ink caricature drawing by (John) Bernard Partridge, A Council at the Royal Academy, full length, seated to front, in front row second from right, wearing toga; untraced. Repr. Punch, 21 May 1902, p.363; and Trippi 2002, p.167, fig.136.
See also Brock, Crane, East, Frampton, Goodall, Herkomer, Richmond, J.H. Thomas, J.W. Waterhouse, Watts, Wells, Whistler.

c.1902
Painting by A.J. Goodman, in his studio; untraced. Exh. RSPP 1902 (85).

1908
Drawing, 430 x 280mm, by William Strang, head-and-shoulders; Royal Coll., Windsor, RL13731. Exh. RA 1909 (1361); and William Strang RA, Graves AG, Sheffield, 1980, Glasgow CAG, 1981 and NPG, 1981; repr. Athill & Goodchild 1981, no.45. Commissioned by King Edward VII for OM portrait series.

1912
Pencil drawing by Flora Lion; see NPG 3946.


Undated portraitback to top


Drawing by unidentified artist, whole-length to front, seated in studio, behind reclining draped female model; known from engr. repr. Swanson 1977, p.61 (where credited to Mansell Coll.)


Posthumous portraitback to top


1914
Oil on canvas, 1130 x 1510mm, by (John) Byam Shaw, Design for the New Act Drop for the London Coliseum, signed and dated, half-length, with numerous other theatrical, musical and artistic celebrities represented in an architectural setting; English National Opera, London. Exh. RA 1914 (536); and Byam Shaw, Ashmolean M., Oxford, 1986 (29, ill.); and Edwardian Opulence, Yale Centre for British Art, New Haven, 2013 (55, ill. with key [no.58]). Repr. Sketch, 6 May 1914, p.133.
The full-size act drop was destroyed.
See also Alexander, Anderson, M.E. Bancroft, S. Bancroft, Campbell, Farren, Forbes-Robertson, Hare, Irving, Leighton, Leno, Millais, Terry, Tree, Waller, Watts, Whistler, C. Wyndham.


Photographsback to top



1863
Photograph by J. Dupont, Antwerp, half-length to front, arms crossed, wearing pince-nez; repr. Strand, 1892, p.47; see also Alma-Tadema 1998.

1869–71
Sepia print by unidentified photographer, signed by sitter, three-quarter-length, seated, wearing soft high-crowned hat, in front of patterned curtains; repr. Swanson 1990, p.34; and Getty Images, 3070272 (where dated ‘c.1875’).

c.1871
Carte-de-visite by Fradelle & Marshall, head-and-shoulders, half-profile to left, no glasses, goatee beard. Repr. as wood-engr., ILN, 6 May 1876, p.437 (see BM, London, 2010,7033.25, where described as ‘after Thomas Dewell Scott’); as photo, Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, 21 Sept. 1878, p.5; MA, 1879, p.193 (where credited to A.E. Fradelle); and Strand, 1892, p.47 (as sitter ‘age 37’, i.e. c.1871): see Getty Images, 50670143.

c.1876
Photographs by Elliott & Fry, three known poses:
(a) albumen cabinet card, 143 x 98mm, whole-length without feet, half-profile to left, seated with book on lap and pince-nez dangling, wearing leather gloves; colls NPG x128132, NPG x134824 (cropped carte-de-visite, half-length); and The Rob Dickins Coll., Watts G., Compton, COMWG2008.2 (cropped carte-de-visite, half-length, repr. Sotheby’s, 1 July 2004 [part of lot 306]); and RWS, London, L105/6/C/18 (damaged version with sitter signature).
(b) alternative portrait version, head-and-shoulders, head slightly more towards the front; The Rob Dickins Coll., Watts G., Compton, COMWG2008.3556.
(c) carte-de-visite, half-length to front, looking left, right hand holding notebook, left hand resting on chair arm; NPG x137214.

?1876–7
Carte-de-visite by L. Suscipi, Rome, quarter-length vignette, looking left; coll. V. Swanson.

Photograph by unidentified photographer, whole-length, profile to left, seated in studio holding book; repr. Swanson 1990, p.50, no source given.

Photograph by unidentified photographer, half-length vignette, profile to left, leafing through album; coll. V. Swanson.

c.1876–8
Photograph by unidentified photographer, whole-length, profile to left, seated holding book before easel seen full height behind; repr. Swanson 1977 back cover; and Swanson 1990, p.50, no source given.

c.1877
Photographs by London Stereoscopic & Photographic Company, three known poses:
(a) cabinet card, 165 x 108mm, head-and-shoulders to front, wearing pince-nez and stiff collar; colls The Rob Dickins Coll., Watts G., Compton, COMWG2008.163.276 (with signature lower centre) and COMWG2008.3538; and as carte-de-visite, 89 x 57mm NPG x27575 (entitled ‘Mr Alma-Tadema A.R.A.’, information that dates the image between 1876 and 1879); and The Rob Dickins Coll., Watts G., Compton, COMWG2008.163.35386.
(b) cabinet card, 150 x 105mm, three-quarter-length to right, looking to front, seated at easel, without spectacles; colls NPG x5155 and NPG x85; and V&A, London, 4516-1931.
(c) cabinet card, three-quarter-length, looking forwards, standing, left arm resting on plinth; colls V. Swanson; and The Rob Dickins Coll., Watts G., Compton, COMWG2008.2736. Repr. as vignette ILN, 10 June 1899, p.830.

1878
Cabinet cards by G. Sommer, Napoli, two known poses:
(a) 137 x 95mm, head-and-shoulders vignette, half-profile to right; coll. V. Swanson (where dated 1876, but the sitter was in Naples for the Pompeian excavations of 1878, which is a more likely date). Repr. Swanson 1990, p.51.
(b) 166 x109mm oval, head-and-shoulders, profile to right, no spectacles, goatee beard jutting horizontally from chin; The Rob Dickins Coll., Watts G., Compton, COMWG2008.279. Repr. Sotheby’s, 1 July 2004 (part of lot 306).

Albumen cabinet card, 141 x 97mm, by G. Arena, Napoli, head-and-shoulders vignette, half-profile to right, curly moustache; NPG x19015. ‘1882’ printed on verso but sitter looks younger.

c.1880
Platinum print by Frederick Hollyer, head-and-shoulders, profile to right, no spectacles; V&A, London, 7732-1938. Engr. by ‘CK’ repr. Harper’s New Monthly Magazine (European ed.), vol.6, Nov. 1883, p.843.

Photograph, 290 x 230mm, by Arthur James (‘A.J.’) Melhuish, half-length, seated to right in armchair, left arm resting on leg, right raised to chest level holding pince-nez chain; issued in series ‘The British Museum of Portraits’; V&A, London, PH.383-1886).

Woodburytype, 114 x 90mm oval, by Lock & Whitfield, head-and-shoulders, profile to right; colls NPG x311; and The Rob Dickins Coll., Watts G., Compton, COMWG2008.911 and COMWG2008.1092. Repr. Cooper 1876–83, ser. 5, 1881, p.24; NPG Ax17644; another copy in Birmingham Central L.

1882
Half-plate glass negatives by Alexander Bassano, three known poses:
(a) head-and-shoulders, half-profile to left, in overcoat and cravat, no hat or spectacles; NPG x96472.
(b) as (a) but shoulders turned to left; NPG x96473.
(c) as (a) but wearing pince-nez; NPG x96474. Repr. Swanson 1990, p.59.

1883
Photograph by unidentified photographer, whole-length, crouching to right, ‘measuring at Pompeii’; untraced. Repr. Swanson 1990, p.76.

c. 1883
Albumen prints by Frank Dudman for Joseph Parkin Mayall, three known poses:
(a) whole-length, standing by fireplace in his studio at Townshend House; photogravure by Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington, 166 x 217mm, publ. Stephens 1884, part 3, pl.1; colls. NPG Ax27822; and The Rob Dickins Coll., Watts G., Compton, COMWG2008.3743. Repr. Swanson 1990, p.62.
(b) whole-length, to front, elbow leaning against fireplace, right hand at side; reg. for copyright 1896 Feb. 29: National Archives (COPY 1/423/590).
(c) whole-length to front, right elbow resting on mantelpiece, left hand raised; repr. ‘The Pictures of 1892’, Pall Mall Gazette ‘Extra’, no.62, 2 May 1892, p.4.

Photogravure by unidentified photographer, signed by sitter, possibly form the same session as above, whole-length seated to right on chair in studio, in front of easel holding canvas, with palette and brushed in left hand; priv. coll.

1887–8
Carbon print, 248 x 181mm by Walery [Stanislas Julian, Count Ostrorog], with facsimile of sitter’s autograph, three-quarter-length, standing to left, looking forwards, holding pince-nez, wearing coat with silk or satin revers; prints NPG x6020 and NPG Ax9107. Repr. Walery 1888–96, vol.1, issue no.5 (Nov. 1888); and Becker et al. 1996, p.6.
Photogravure, 219 x 155mm, after this image (slightly cropped) by Maclure & McDonald, Glasgow; colls NPG x46; and The Rob Dickins Coll., Watts G., Compton, COMWG2008.3673. Repr. Swanson 1990, p.72 (where dated c.1887–9).

before 1888
Carte-de-visite by Robert White Thrupp, head-and-shoulders vignette to front, without spectacles; repr. The Year’s Art 1888, between pp.16 and 17.

Possibly from the above session, albumen print, head-and-shoulders, profile to right, wearing pince-nez, same jacket and lapel button: NPG P1700(11a).

1880s
Photograph by Fradelle & Young, three-quarter length standing to right in studio, profile to right, left hand resting on easel holding small canvas, with right hand hanging at side; untraced. Repr. as eng., Maclure's Magazine, 1896 (details not known).

1890
Cabinet print by J. Hartmann, Bayreuth, three-quarter-length, profile to left, standing, holding hat, with daughter Laurense; colls V. Swanson; and The Rob Dickins Coll., Watts G., Compton, COMWG2008.278.

1890–4
Photographs by Ernest Herbert Mills, two known poses:
(a) three-quarter-length, profile to right, wearing pin-stripe suit, seated at easel with maulstick, right arm outstretched holding brush; Getty Images, 2636392 (where sitter and photographer named and image dated to 1 Jan. 1890). Repr. Swanson 1990, p.78.
(b) half-length, profile to right, in studio, seated at easel, right arm outstretched holding brush; repr. as postcard by Rotary Co; colls The Rob Dickins Coll., Watts G., Compton, COMWG2008.275 (signed by sitter in ink upper right); and another card signed and dated 8 Jan. 1909 and inscr. to Miss Olga James, repr. Ian Hodgkins cat. 122, autumn 2005 (5).

before 1892
Photograph by William Henry Grove, half-length, profile to right, at easel, right hand holding brush resting on maulstick, framed prints in background; Getty Images, 50670144 (where dated 1 Jan. 1892). Repr. Strand, 1892, p.47 (as ‘present day’).

1899
Carbon print, 227 x 315mm, by Fradelle & Young, half-length, standing in background, in multi-figure group at a banquet in his honour at the Whitehall Rooms, London, 4 Nov. 1899; NPG x19022. Repr. MA, 1900, p.137; and Swanson 1990, p.85.
See also Boughton, Brock, Clausen, J. Collier, Crane, East, E.O. Ford, Frampton, Gregory, Hacker, Lucas, Parsons, Sant, Solomon, Spielmann, W.H. Thornycroft, J.W. Waterhouse, A. Webb.

c.1899
Photograph by unidentified photographer, issued by Geo. Newnes Ltd, whole-length, profile to right, standing at work with brush and maulstick; repr. Strand, Dec. 1899, p.76.

Photograph by unidentified photographer, three-quarter-length, half-profile to right, standing, left hand on internal balcony; RWS, London, L105/5/A/5a.

Photograph by unidentified photographer, quarter-length, seated behind desk, holding quill pen; RWS, London, L105/5/A/6a.

1905
Photographs by Lena Connell, presumably marking award of OM, three known poses:
(a) three-quarter-length, standing, in top hat, with his wife Laura Alma-Tadema to left; NPG x47 (autographed by both sitters for Professor Villari). Repr. Swanson 1990, p.95.
(b) half-length, standing, no hat, with wife to right; colls Getty Images, 2634170 (where dated 1 Dec. 1905); and The Rob Dickins Coll., Watts G., Compton, COMWG2008.4322.
(c) three-quarter-length to front, standing, hands on ?railing; repr. Sphere, 29 June 1912, cover.

before 1907
Platinum print by unidentified artist, three-quarter-length, standing, half-profile to left in front of painting A Romano-British Potter (opus CCLXI); NPG x19016 (inscr. by sitter to Mrs Macarthur, 9.iv.07). Repr. Swanson 1990, p.90. The painting in the photograph was cut down from a larger work sometime after 1886 and remained with Alma-Tadema until his death.

c.1907
Photograph by Emil Otto Hoppé, whole-length to front, seated, right hand to chin; repr. Bystander, 3 July 1912, p.13; and ILN, 29 June 1912, p.1001 (cropped version, head-and-shoulders and hand only).

c.1908
Snapshot by unidentified photographer, whole-length, rear view, wearing straw hat, seated in garden; repr. Swanson 1990, p.100 (from copy inscr. by sitter with Christmas wishes).

1912
Photograph by unidentified photographer, whole-length, profile to right, standing with marble bust by Edward Onslow Ford (see above, ‘By other artists, 1895–6’); repr. Swanson 1990, p.93; and Christie’s, 28 Nov. 2001, fig.1.


Undated photographsback to top


Photograph by unidentified photographer, half-length to front, seated, right arm on chairback; repr. The Times, 8 Jan. 1936.

Photograph by unidentified photographer, whole-length standing to left leaning forward to inspect picture by Frederic Leighton in the Hall of Panels; Archive of American Art, Smithsonian Instiution (Box 1, folder 17, no.5).

Dr Jan Marsh