Designer Biography

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema

Born: 1836

Died: 1912

See items in our stock by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema

This celebrated Dutch-born academic painter and friend of Aitchison designed the architectural restructuring and furniture for his own houses, as well as a suite of ivory-inlaid music room furniture for the American millionaire collector Henry G. Marquand. The Marquand commission was a collaboration with Lord Leighton, the furniture being made by the London firm of Johnstone, Norman & Co. Probably through Marquand's example, Alma-Tadema commissioned one of the 'Wind-Blown Peonies' stained glass panels from John La Farge for his house, which was also furnished by Johnstone, Norman & Co. with versions of the Marquand ivory-inlaid chairs and couches.