Laurence Alma-Tadema

For the Dutch painter, see Lawrence Alma-Tadema.
Photograph of Laurence Alma-Tadema from the US Library of Congress

Laurence Alma-Tadema (born Laurense Tadema, 1865–1940), was an English novelist and poet of the late 19th and early 20th centuries who worked in many genres.[1] Eldest daughter of the Dutch painter Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1836–1912) and his first wife Marie-Pauline Gressin Dumoulin, she was born in Brussels. [2] Her stepmother, Lady Laura Theresa Alma-Tadema (1852–1909) and sister Anna Alma-Tadema (1867–1943) were also noted artists.[3] Laurence Alma-Tadema lived in "The Fair Haven", Wittersham, Kent, and she involved herself with music and plays with the villagers and their children, going on to construct a building to seat a hundred people, used for musical concerts and plays, which she named "Hall of Happy Hours".[4] She never married and died in a nursing home in London in 1940.[1][5]

Literary work

Her first novel, Love's Martyr, was published in 1886. In addition to her own collections of stories and poems, which she often published herself, Alma-Tadema wrote two novels, songs and works on drama; she also made translations. The Orlando Project says about Alma-Tadema's writing that the "characteristic tone is one of intense emotion, but in prose and verse she has the gift of compression".[1] She contributed widely to periodicals, notably The Yellow Book, and also edited one herself.[1] Some of Alma-Tadema's plays were successfully produced in Germany.[4]

Political activities

Alma Tadema had a close association with Poland. She was secretary of the "Poland and the Polish Victims Relief Fund" from 1915 to 1939. She was an admirer and long-term associate of Ignacy Jan Paderewski both as far as his music and political activities were concerned, notably on Polish independence.[5] Alma-Tadema maintained a long-correspondence with him from 1915 to the end of her life. Some of her papers are deposited with the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford.[6]

American Tour

Alma-Tadema, who had socialist leanings, travelled to America in 1907–08 to tour the country widely.[4] She gave a series of readings on the "Meaning of Happiness," which proved exceedingly popular.[4] She also spoke on the plight of the divided Poland and asked her audience to express their feelings for this cause.[7][8]

If No One Ever Marries Me

Alma-Tadema's poem "If No One Ever Marries Me", written in 1897 and published in Realms of Unknown Kings,[9] saw performances as a song in the 21st century by Natalie Merchant on her double album Leave Your Sleep.[10][11] In 1900 it had been included in the musical score, The daisy chain, cycle of twelve songs of childhood by Liza Lehmann,[12] and in 1922 in the musical score Little girls composed by Louise Sington.

Works

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 Brown, Susan; Clements, Patricia; Grundy, Isobel (n.d.). "Laurence Alma-Tadema entry: Overview screen.". Orlando Project – Women's Writing in the British Isles from the Beginning to the Present. The Orlando Project. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  2. ↑ She appears in the painting by her father This is our corner (http://www.artrenewal.org/pages/artwork.php?artworkid=13422), 1873, also known as Laurense and Anna Alma-Tadema, Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam) as the young girl in the foreground holding papers. Her younger sister Anna is shown lying on the bed in the background.
  3. ↑ Source: www.antiquesandfineart.com/roughton (n.d.). "Lady Laura Alma-Tadema". Fine Art Database. Antiques and Fine Art Magazine. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Unattributed (1910–1912). "Miss Laurence Alma-Tadema". Every Woman's Encyclopaedia. London S.N. Retrieved 16 August 2011. External link in |work= (help)
  5. 1 2 Ignacy Jan Paderewski. Translated by Laurence Alma Tadema. Originally published 1911. (Winter 2001). "Chopin: A Discourse". Polish Music Journal. 4 (2). ISSN 1521-6039. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  6. ↑ "Collection Level Description: Papers of Miss Laurence Alma-Tadema". Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  7. ↑ Unattributed (19 November 1907). "ASKS WOMEN TO AID POLAND.; Laurence Alma Tadema Wants Them to Help Sienklewicz's Plan.". New York Times. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  8. ↑ Unatributed (10 February 1908). "A RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS.; Miss Alma Tadema Here to Tell Americans How to Attain It.". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  9. ↑ Unattributed. "Laurence Alma-Tadema - "If No One Ever Marries Me"". ArtMagick Illustrated Poetry Collection. ArtMagick. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  10. ↑ Merchant, Natalie (February 2010). "Natalie Merchant sings old poems to life". TED2010. TED Conference LLC. Retrieved 13 August 2011.. See Interactive transcript for referred fact.
  11. ↑ "If No One Ever Marries Me – Laurence Alma-Tadema (1865–1940) (The Official Natalie Merchant Website | Leave Your Sleep | Read | If No One Ever Marries Me)". The Official Natalie Merchant Website. Retrieved 17 August 2011. External link in |work= (help)
  12. ↑ "Album Information – LEHMANN: Daisy Chain (The) / Bird Songs / Four Cautionary Tales (English Song, Vol. 8)". ClassicsOnline. Naxos Digital Services Ltd. 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2011. External link in |work= (help)

External links

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