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Autumn (Scene in a Roman Garden)

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema British, born The Netherlands
ca. 1874–79
Not on view
Known for evocative recreations of the ancient world, Alma-Tadema here represents Roman men and women of different ages enjoying a warm fall day. At left, two young men sit in companionable contemplation near an older bearded figure whose pose and expression convey stoicism. The stillness of the seated forms contrasts with the suggested movement of a young couple strolling on a path at right. The curved marble bench, or exedra, bears a Latin inscription that refers to the Emperor Hadrian and demonstrates how the artist skillfully adapted archaeological sources to add authenticity. In this case, the form is borrowed from a bench-shaped memorial-tomb on the Via dei Sepolcri at Pompeii. Visually, its curved form brings several figures into proximity without implying a specific narrative. An exquisite example of the artist's draftsmanship, this sheet was created for the printmaker Leopold Löwenstam, who regularly etched Alma-Tadema's compositions, and a related print was published in 1880.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Autumn (Scene in a Roman Garden)
  • Artist: Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (British (born The Netherlands), Dronrijp 1836–1912 Wiesbaden)
  • Date: ca. 1874–79
  • Medium: Graphite
  • Dimensions: Sheet: 6 1/2 × 21 1/2 in. (16.5 × 54.6 cm)
  • Classification: Drawings
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Drawings and Prints Gifts and Ian Woodner Family Collection Fund, 2018
  • Object Number: 2018.350
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

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Curtain, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema British, born The Netherlands, Silk, British
Curtain
Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema
ca. 1885
The Benediction
Multiple artists/makers
1894 or later
Standing Roman, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema British, born The Netherlands, Pen and gray ink, brush and gray wash
Standing Roman
Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema
1875–90
God Speed, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema British, born The Netherlands, Etching on Japan paper; proof
God Speed
Multiple artists/makers
1894
The First Whisper of Love, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema British, born The Netherlands, Etching on chine collé; proof
The First Whisper of Love
Multiple artists/makers
1876

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