Among her most ambitious works are the "Young Customers," the "Old Men's
Garden, Chelsea Hospital," the "Lady of the Manor," "Confidences,"
"London Flowers," and others of kindred motives.

The "Young Customers," water-color, was exhibited at Paris in 1878. When
seen at the Academy in 1875, Ruskin wrote of it: "It happens curiously
that the only drawing of which the memory remains with me as a possession
out of the Old Water-Color Exhibition of this year--Mrs. Allingham's
'Young Customers'--should be not only by an accomplished designer of
woodcuts, but itself the illustration of a popular story. The drawing
with whatever temporary purpose executed, is forever lovely; a thing
which I believe Gainsborough would have given one of his own paintings
for--old-fashioned as red-tipped dresses are, and more precious than
rubies."--_Notes of the Academy_, 1875.



ALMA-TADEMA, LADY LAURA THERESE. Gold medal at International Art
Exhibition, Berlin, 1876; medal at Chicago, 1893; second-class medal at
Paris Exhibition, 1900. Born in London. From early childhood this artist
was fond of drawing and had the usual drawing-class lessons at school and
also drew from the antique in the British Museum. Her serious study,
however, began at the age of eighteen, under the direction of Laurenz
Alma-Tadema.

Her pictures are principally of domestic scenes, child-life, and other
genre subjects. "Battledore and Shuttlecock" is an interior, with a
graceful girl playing the game, to the amusement of a young child sitting
on a nurse's lap. The room is attractive, the accessories well painted,