Sunday Morning by  Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema

Possibly 1871

Sunday Morning

Listen to curator's interpretation

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Curatorial notes

Curator: This is Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema's work, titled "Sunday Morning". Editor: It's immediately striking how dark it is, but with this incredible burst of light flooding in through the window. Curator: Alma-Tadema, though known for his portrayals of the classical world, demonstrates here a more domestic scene. Note the woman holding a baby, gazing outwards. Editor: The architecture outside looks like it's from another time, almost dreamlike, and yet this mother and child ground it in the present. Is she hoping for a brighter future? Curator: Perhaps. The image evokes questions about religion and domestic life in Victorian England. Editor: I love how a single window suggests the whole world outside. There is almost an allegorical quality here. Curator: Yes, a very interesting commentary on time, and memory, using such a simple scene. Editor: A poignant moment frozen in time.