Alma-Tadema was extremely interested in the everyday life of his subjects.  He continually chose common occurrences set in bathhouses, elegant courtyards and embellished rotundas to create the theme of his paintings.  Familiar scenes such as a mother and child, flower girls, and small group gatherings are characteristic of his subject matter.

Alma-Tadema’s characters are also found in historical representations.  His early works consistently depict scenes from historical events.  Few of these events are the well-known events that are heavily documented.  Instead, Alma-Tadema’s scenes often take place before or after major events.  Other pictures depict well-know characters from history in scenes that are unimportant or of little value to the events for which those characters gained their historical stature.

Alma-Tadema was extremely careful in his depiction of historical scenes.  He spent extensive amounts of time studying historical texts to develop his scenes and characters accurately.  His historical accuracy is relatively untouched by other classical painters who worked within the same historical themes.

Alma-Tadema’s most highly valued and unchallenged technique is his intricate knowledge of historical architecture and his ability to make textures appear real upon the canvas.  Alma-Tadema held a profound belief that one should know one’s subject thoroughly before impressing that subject upon the canvas.  His paintings all reflect a deep knowledge of building construction and the properties of the materials visible in his paintings.

Alma-Tadema collected a vast amount of knowledge for classical archaeology and architecture.  He formed a library of books and photographs concerning architecture and historical societies.  His library contained museum catalogues, books on engraving, measured drawings, and written accounts of antiquities as well.  A majority of this collection deals with Roman and Greek architecture; however, the collection does include work on Egyptian, Japanese, Asian, and mediaeval materials as well.

It is from the deep study of these sources and an obvious natural talent that Alma-Tadema built his paintings.  Other classical painters incorporated an architectural motif or other decoration with the aim of achieving “High Art,” not necessarily authenticity.  Alma-Tadema made a special effort to add extensively detailed pieces of architecture, decoration, and design to his work.  Various items in his paintings were not always from the same time period, or even created in the same geographic area.  However, Alma-Tadema used this technique to add variety and decoration to his paintings.

Alma-Tadema’s eye for detail and accuracy extended far beyond his love of architecture and design.  He had an immeasurable gift for the depiction of texture and materials.  He was exceptionally gifted at reproducing marble, which is visible in his Vintage Festival (1870).  He could make cloth appear touchable as exemplified in Entrance to a Roman Theater (1866).  Stone statues and lion skin rugs are almost touchable in An Audience at Agrippa’s (1875).  His choices of color and technique have allowed for an almost photographic quality unmatched by other Victorian classical painters.

Alma-Tadema’s subjects are often lacking in emotion and nearly devoid of character.  As seemingly close as a viewer is allowed to be to the setting and decorative objects, most of the characters are distant from the viewer.  Alma-Tadema’s historical figures do suggest some emotion; however, their eyes continually focus on something distant and the viewer is prevented from creating any relationship with the subject.  Even less characterization is prevalent in his other characters.  His women are usually happy, content, and entertained.  Their body language and facial expressions suggest to the viewer that it takes very little or something quite trivial in nature to entertain them.  His male characters, although more mature in appearance, still hold a detached and uninterested demeanor.

Alma-Tadema’s paintings are considered simple from the viewpoint of symbolism and deeper meaning.  His paintings were never painted to suggest some deep meaning or symbolize some social or political cause.  If any hidden idea is to surface from his paintings, it is his boisterous attitude for his architectural knowledge.  However, Alma-Tadema paintings are characterized by one symbol.

Alma-Tadema uses the depiction of flowers heavily in his paintings.  His beautiful and imaginative flower arrangements are used for other purposes besides decoration and variety.  Alma-Tadema skillfully uses flowers to depict life.  The varying blooms take on different symbolic meanings that enhance the scene of the painting.  Red roses typically suggest a provocative, possibly lustful, undertone.  The placement of other arrangements alludes to sexuality as well.  The poppy, commonly associated with death and decay, appears in some of Alma-Tadema’s autumn pictures.  His depiction of young girls heavily laden with flowers, mostly white and pastel, is a suggestion of youth, a lust for life, and untainted fertility.  Likewise, lilies are often used to constitute love.  Continually, it is the flower arrangements that give the most insight to the paintings undertones.

With this brief summary of his painting style, one can turn now to the subject of this page, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema’s Dreaming.  Immediately visible is the wall on which the young man leans.  Characteristically, it is a detailed depiction of architecture that might be visible on the coast of Italy.  Alma-Tadema put his talent to work once again and created a smooth, stone finish with intricate detailing that is almost touchable.

The man's clothing is realistic, although it lacks some of the coloring and detail that makes the clothing so realistic.  Flowers are present; however, they are far enough to the side to be inconsequential.  In this case, the flowers appear to be strictly decorative.

Fairly uncharacteristic of Alma-Tadema’s work is the figure itself.  Although his face is turned and in shadows, his body language suggests he is in deep thought.  He is still slightly distant from the viewer, but this distance is justified and expected due to the slightly lonesome tone of the painting.  His character seems to reflect more depth than those of his other paintings do.

In all, Dreaming is very characteristic of Alma-Tadema’s work although, by far, one of his more simplistic paintings.