Preparation in the Coliseum (1912) by the Dutch painter Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1836-1912).
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGhE9fHanbdFjOyaKkMFgNN4WBaWSDtL19eOHM28_divqM0sg6_JyuCQsPKMzNqFxZsnULSxUy_vWg4Yt7A-DZbpzNCAwrlM5Y6H9FiqcbygcF95QVlZfCvmw-X59fETEiR_Il07TYhcun/s400/Preparation_in_the_Coliseo.jpg)
This was the last great painting by the famous artist. Above all it strikes by it’s details: the marble, the flowers, the silver, the furs.
Most impressive are probably the fruits and the plates on the marble table. Here a detail.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFWLrZDL2wzTHzCPF6zkL2Or2ULgPLFA3Z_t-OnZ-9y5u5zWNUMpxddp2Ug9_qCwmoepJjkXWzL6c7qGe7IshYIIdurdPX5eMjXv5FR0rzMP5vaMwYhcGhfkPft0mVhezJ26y1MzACaPbc/s400/Preparation_detail.jpg)
Sometimes people are quoting artwork like this as "real art" opposite to less well done modern art. But I think it’s more symptomatic of the decline of history painting in general. Almost obsessed Alma-Tadema amasses more and more of these perfectly painted details, probably to ensure the value of the painting to underline his knowledge of the past.
But a well done illusion is not already art. For example Alma-Tadema was very afraid of falsifications and introduced a special identification system together with his signature. Sure it’s an impressive painting and it’s much better than a lot of kitsch in that time, but it hasn’t for example half the power of a good illustration by Howard Pyle.