Artwork
Anna Leafing through a Portfolio of Prints
Anna Leafing through a Portfolio of Prints is an oil painting by the Aestheticist artist Laura Theresa Alma-Tadema. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The intimate scene centers on her engagement with the visual contents of the portfolio, with the prints themselves forming the focal subject of her attention.
The painting depicts a young woman, named Anna, seated and absorbed in turning the pages of a portfolio of prints. The intimate scene centers on her engagement with the visual contents of the portfolio, with the prints themselves forming the focal subject of her attention. According to the catalogued iconography, the work depicts a print, a sketchbook, and a boy alongside the figure of Anna.
The composition emphasizes quiet contemplation and the act of looking at art, presenting the portfolio as both a physical object and a vehicle for the viewer's gaze. By portraying a woman absorbed in studying printed images, the work reflects the late nineteenth-century interest in art appreciation as a refined, introspective activity, while the inclusion of a sketchbook and a boy situates the scene within a domestic setting associated with artistic study.
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil paint on panel. Its modest dimensions, 11.3 cm in height and 32.4 cm in width, suggest an intimate, small-scale format. The work depicts a figure leafing through a portfolio of prints, with the scene also incorporating a sketchbook and a boy.
The artist's handling of oil on panel reflects the refined, detailed approach characteristic of 19th-century British studio practice.
History & Provenance
Laura Theresa Alma-Tadema created the painting Anna Leafing through a Portfolio of Prints in 1874. The work was executed in oil paint on a panel and was produced in London. Measuring 11.3 by 32.4 centimeters, the artwork eventually entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it is currently held.
The painting Anna Leafing through a Portfolio of Prints by Laura Theresa Alma-Tadema is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The work, created in 1874 on a panel support, is part of the museum's permanent holdings. While the specific inventory or accession number is not detailed in the provided sources, the museum's records confirm the painting's presence in its collection. The artwork has not been documented in the available sources as having a specific exhibition history.
Overview
Created in 1874, Anna Leafing through a Portfolio of Prints is an oil painting by British artist Laura Theresa Alma‑Tadema. The work belongs to the aestheticism current of the late nineteenth century and exemplifies the painter’s focus on intimate, domestic interiors. It presents a quiet studio scene rendered with careful attention to light and texture, reflecting the artist’s interest in everyday moments.
Artist & collection
Artist
Laura Theresa, Lady Alma-Tadema (née Epps; 16 April 1852 – 15 August 1909) was a British painter specialising in domestic and genre scenes of women and children.
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