Lawrence Alma Tadema Women stabian baths in Pompeii Rome

A Favourite Custom (1909) by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema. This Neoclassical oil painting depicts an interior Roman bathhouse in Pompeii scene, where elegantly draped women gather around a stepped marble pool while others bathe in the foreground. The composition is layered: social interaction unfolds in the background while the bathers in the water create a more intimate focal point. Alma-Tadema’s signature mastery is evident in the soft translucency of the water, the polished marble surfaces, and the gentle diffusion of light, all of which evoke a serene and refined atmosphere of daily life in antiquity.

Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema (1836–1912) was a Dutch-born British painter celebrated for his highly detailed and historically inspired scenes of ancient Greece and Rome. Renowned for his precision and archaeological accuracy, he specialized in depicting luxurious interiors, marble textures, and tranquil moments of leisure. His works became iconic representations of Victorian Neoclassicism, influencing both fine art and later visual interpretations of the classical world through their elegance, clarity, and immersive realism.