Artist. Born in Holland, he moved to London, England when in his mid-30s, in 1869. He became very much part of the English establishment, gaining a knighthood in 1899. A genial and uncomplicated man, Alma-Tadema enjoyed his success and money, living in extravagant life-style. His life was an enormously sucessful one in which he was made an RA, knighted and showered with honours from many countries. In London, after the death of his first wife, Alma Tadema married Laura Epps, who appears in many of his pictures (along with his daughters later on), with curly red or brown hair, rosy cheeks, and solid rather than fine-boned features. Another characteristic Alma Tadema feature is marble, and he is the supreme painter of that material. His pictures are full of accurate archaelogical detail, praised highly by Ruskin, although the famous critic had good and bad things to say about Alma Tadema. By 1911, however, his popularity began to wane.Realising that his work was becom! ing unfashionable he resigned from the Royal Academy committee, after serving on it for thirty-one years. In the following year he went to take the waters at Wiesbaden, Germany where he was suddenly taken ill and died on 25 June 1912. His body was brought back to England and interred in the crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral. (bio by: MC)  Family links:  Spouse:  Laura Theresa Alma-Tadema (1852 – 1909)*  Children:  Laurence Alma-Tadema (1865 – 1940)* *Calculated relationship