In the winter of 1882-3 the Rhine region suffered a catastrophic flood causing outbreaks of malaria, typhus and dysentery and displacing settlements across an area of 40,000 hectares. In response the German Athenaeum in London organised a charity concert in aid of the victims, featuring tableaux vivant with backdrops designed by Alma-Tadema.
This dramatic and unusual sketch, the artist’s ‘first distemper’, was an idea for one of these backdrops. Alma-Tadema originally designed four scenes: Joyous Life on the Rhine; The Inundation; Misery; and finally Help, when aid arrives. Three were then worked up into stage backdrops to the tableaux by the celebrated set designer, John O’Connor, who worked with Gilbert and Sullivan.
The evening proved a success and particular praise was lavished on Alma-Tadema’s set designs by a contemporary review in The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News (24 February 1883, p 24):
‘The concert was deserving of the welcome it received from a brilliant audience, amongst whom were TRH the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, etc ... Music was sung by the choir of the German Turnverein [a German gymnastic association in London] under the direction of Herr Liebe, during the exhibition of three tableaux vivants, arranged by Mr Alma Tadema with the help of Mr John O’Connor ... Mr Alma Tadema had generously worked on the scenery of these tableaux for nearly a fortnight, and it was suggested by HRH the Prince of Wales that photographs should be taken of these “beautiful works of art” and sold for the benefit of the victims.’