\paperw19995 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 This painting depicts a scene of daily life set in the baths of ancient Rome. The workÆs title refers to the two women, imm
ersed in the pool, who are splashing each other with water.\par
In the background various female figures are undressing or drying themselves, assisted by their handmaids.\par
In this picture Alma-Tadema, an outstanding exponent of British academic pain
ting, reveals his in-depth research of ancient customs, so as to be able to reconstruct the setting accurately.\par
The impression of a large space is obtained through a construction of perspective that places the vanishing point high up, at the open do
or in the background.\par
The painting is characterized by its painstakingly accurate brushwork, which effectively reproduces the tesserae of the mosaic on the floor and the transparency of the water.