Unconscious Rivals, 1893
City of Bristol Art Gallery
Bristol, England
Here we see a tale as old as time, two women waiting for one man. They seem to be on familiar terms, even if they are not friends, and Alma-Tadema shows them enjoying the calm before the storm. On the wall behind them are reliefs of theatrical masks, foretelling the drama awaiting them. The statue of the child in the upper left is a display of deceit and vanity, most likely referring to their lover.