Lot 91: Laura, Lady Alma-Tadema (1852-1909)

Laura, Lady Alma-Tadema (1852-1909)
Oranges & Lemons
oil on canvas
51¼ x 32 in. (130.2 x 81.3 cm.)

Tessa Gosse, the artist's niece and sister of Sylvia Gosse.

Laura Alma-Tadema was the aunt of artist Sylvia Gosse (1881-1968). This work, which comes through the Gosse family, depicts Alma-Tadema's children, Laura (b.1864) and Anna (b.1867) with the Gosse children - Sylvia, Tessa (b.1877) and Philip (b.1879) playing a game of Oranges & Lemons. Sylvia is the red-head in the centre of the composition. The work is set in Laurence and Laura Alma-Tadema's garden at 17 Grove End Road, St John's Wood, famous for appearing in several of it's previous owner, James Tissot's paintings, and for the improvements Laurence made to it.