Who Is It 

Lawrence Alma-Tadema, painted "Who Is It" with oil on canvas, a medium that perfectly suited his pursuit of classical antiquity. But while the scene depicts a plausible moment in ancient Rome, consider the artist’s own context. Born in the Netherlands, he later settled in London, enjoying the fruits of British Imperialism and industrial wealth. The painting’s smooth finish, achieved through layers of meticulous brushwork, belies this underlying context. Alma-Tadema had assistants in his studio to speed up his production, and he understood that in the modern world, even the finest handwork was intertwined with capital. The marble architecture, the women’s draped garments, even their sandals – these are all rendered with precision. Yet the painting is more than just a display of technical skill. It reflects the Victorian era's fascination with the past, filtered through the lens of contemporary labor. The artist has imbued the painting with a specific cultural significance, one that speaks to the complex relationship between aesthetics, production, and historical representation.