Glaucus and Nydia

Lawrence Alma-Tadema’s ‘Glaucus and Nydia’ was painted in 1867. It is an oil on wood panel. The work measures 27.3 by 39.4 centimeters. Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio.

The painting depicts characters from Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s novel ‘The Last Days of Pompeii’. Nydia, a blind flower girl, is central, caught in the chaos of Pompeii’s destruction.

Alma-Tadema’s signature attention to historical detail is evident. The texture of the fabrics and the architectural elements reflect his study of ancient Roman life.

Lawrence Alma-Tadema was born in the Netherlands and settled in London in 1870. Known for classical subjects, he was celebrated for his detailed depictions of Roman life.

Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, https://clevelandart.org/art/1977.128

https://oolf.net/open-art/alma-tadema-glaucus-and-nydia-1867/