Brief Biography-Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema was from Dronrijp in the Netherlands. He received private tuition in art with his brothers at an early age. As a young teenager, Alma-Tadema experienced severe mental health issues and was encouraged to spend time painting; the work nurtured him back to health. He studied at the Royal Academy of Antwerp for four years, winning numerous awards. The picture that catapulted him to fame was The Education of the Children of Clovis; it was his first significant work containing his depiction of marble, one of his most important attributes. He married in 1863 and had three children before his wife died six years later. The art dealer Ernst Gambaro encouraged him to move to London in 1870 after having health issues due to the death of his wife. It was in London he found success selling his paintings. England would be his home for the remainder of his life. He married for a second time to eighteen-year-old Laura Epps, who also became a noted artist. The paintings of the Pre-Raphaelites bore an influence on his work. In 1879, he became an Academician, and during this period, he visited Italy, where he became influenced by the ancient ruins and Roman life scenes. He enjoyed a successful career as an artist for his life, gaining much acclaim on the continent, and in England, he received a Knighthood. Alma-Tadema died in Wiesbaden, Germany, when visiting for health reasons in 1912.