plate no. 7987

Anna Alma Tadema

oil, canvasRomanticismportraitportraitfigureflowersdressdoorwayinterior

recreation guide

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema’s 1883 portrait of Anna Alma-Tadema is a work that demands the artist’s renowned commitment to historical accuracy and meticulous detail. Alma-Tadema was known for taking 'extraordinary care in the preparation of his preliminary sketches' and for his close study of reference materials to ensure precise depictions of objects and settings (Source 2). While this specific portrait may not feature the elaborate archaeological settings of his historical narratives, the artist’s general practice involved a rigorous approach to craftsmanship, viewing the painter first as a 'sound craftsman' who must master the 'alphabet of our art' (Source 1). The work reflects his transition from early Egyptian themes to a broader mastery of classical aesthetics, characterized by a refined handling of light and texture.

estimated time

40-60 hours over 8-12 sessions

materials

4 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (traditional palette)	Primary medium for the painting	High-quality tube oils; historically, artists used pigments ground in linseed or walnut oil
Canvas	Support for the oil paint	Linen or cotton canvas, primed with gesso
Oil of Copavia (or modern damar/resin medium)	Medium for glazing and scumbling, as noted in Reynolds' method cited by Alma-Tadema's contemporaries	Liquin or Galkyd for faster drying, or traditional linseed oil for slower work
White, Black, Ultramarine, Yellow, Red, Blue	Core pigments for mixing flesh tones and drapery, consistent with the 'Greek painters' palette mentioned in color theory sources	Titanium White, Ivory Black, Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red, Cobalt Blue

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be prepared with a smooth, white or light-toned ground to facilitate the artist's characteristic use of glazing and scumbling. Alma-Tadema’s early mentor, Baron Leys, criticized his initial treatment of marble as looking like 'cheese,' prompting Alma-Tadema to refine his technique to achieve a more polished, luminous surface (Source 2). A smooth ground is essential for achieving the 'finish' that Alma-Tadema was known for, avoiding the 'smallness' or over-modeling that can occur on rougher surfaces (Source 1).

underdrawing

Alma-Tadema took 'extraordinary care in the preparation of his preliminary sketches' (Source 2). The underdrawing should be precise, focusing on the likeness of the sitter, as portrait painting aims to achieve a 'recognisable' record of the subject (Source 6). Avoid loose, gestural lines; instead, use a fine charcoal or thinned oil to map out the facial features and drapery folds with accuracy.

underpainting

A grisaille (monochrome underpainting) is recommended. This technique involves painting the composition in neutral tones (black, white, and ultramarine) to establish values before adding color (Source 5). This method allows the artist to 'mentally extract the red and yellow colours' and focus on the structural integrity of the portrait (Source 5). Once dry, this layer serves as the foundation for glazing.

color palette

Flesh Tones

White, Yellow Ochre, Vermilion, and touches of Ultramarine for shadows

The sitter's face and hands. Alma-Tadema’s palette was influenced by the 'simple method' of Greek painters using limited colors to achieve great effects (Source 3).

Drapery/Background

Ultramarine, White, and Black for cool shadows; Cadmium Red/Yellow for warm highlights

Clothing and background elements. The artist had 'a choice of draperies' and could select colors to harmonize with the flesh tones (Source 3).

Shadows

Complementary colors rather than pure black

Darkening areas without shifting hue. Using complements (e.g., purplish-red with yellowish-green) neutralizes color without the greenish/bluish shift caused by adding black (Source 8).

composition

While specific compositional details of this portrait are not described in the sources, Alma-Tadema’s general practice involved careful arrangement of figures and accessories. In historical pictures, 'flesh colours are... at the choice of the painter, as are also the draperies and all the accessories' (Source 3). The composition should balance the sitter’s likeness with harmonious color contrasts, avoiding 'smallness' or over-modeling (Source 1).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing

underdrawing

step 01
Create a precise underdrawing focusing on the sitter's likeness and drapery folds.
Tip — Ensure accuracy in facial features to achieve a 'recognisable' likeness (Source 6).
Preliminary Sketching

underpainting

step 02
Paint a grisaille using black, white, and ultramarine to establish values.
Tip — This layer should be completely dry before proceeding. It helps in 'mentally extracting' warm colors to focus on structure (Source 5).
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Apply glazes of red and yellow tones over the grisaille.
Tip — Use oil of copavia or a similar medium. Glazing is a 'transparent coat of colour' that builds depth (Source 5).
Glazing

refining

step 04
Scumble semi-opaque layers to adjust highlights and cool tones.
Tip — Scumbling over darker grounds can produce a 'grey bloom' or coldness, useful for shadows or distant areas (Source 5).
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Refine details, particularly in the face and hands, ensuring no 'over-modeling'.
Tip — Avoid being 'too much tied down to your outline' or 'inclined to over-model' (Source 1).
Detailing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Alma-Tadema’s contemporaries and predecessors used these techniques to build luminosity and depth. Glazing adds transparent color, while scumbling adds semi-opaque texture (Source 5).

Color Harmony

Use complementary or analogous colors to create harmony. The artist could choose drapery colors to harmonize with the inherent flesh tones (Source 3).

Value Control

Adjust lightness by mixing with white, black, or complements. Avoid adding black to warm colors to prevent hue shifts (Source 8).

common pitfalls

→Over-modeling: Being 'too much tied down to your outline' or creating excessive detail that leads to 'smallness' (Source 1).
→Hue Shifts: Darkening colors with black can cause yellows and reds to shift toward green or blue. Use complements instead (Source 8).
→Poor Marble/Texture Rendering: Early in his career, Alma-Tadema’s marble looked like 'cheese.' Ensure smooth, polished transitions in hard surfaces (Source 2).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific visual details of Anna Alma-Tadema’s pose, clothing, and background are not described in the provided sources.
·The exact palette used for this specific 1883 portrait is not detailed; the guide relies on general Alma-Tadema practices and period conventions.
·The specific lighting conditions and time of day depicted are not mentioned in the sources.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- ON COPYING — applied to Advice on avoiding over-modeling and achieving finish (Source 1).
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Grisaille, glazing, and scumbling techniques (Source 5).
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints — applied to Color harmony and choice of drapery colors (Source 3).

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia bio — Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema↗
- part 2 — applied to Alma-Tadema’s attention to detail and criticism of his early marble rendering (Source 2).
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- part 6 — applied to Mixing pigments and avoiding hue shifts with black (Source 8).

Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.

tips & new artworks in your inbox

no spam — unsubscribe anytime.

or to save artworks, chat, and track progress

chat about this artwork

in this vein