The Women of Amphissa - Lawrence Alma-Tadema

The Women of Amphissa

Lawrence Alma-Tadema | 1887

In the bustling marketplace of ancient Amphissa, a group of women tend to sleeping strangers who have sought refuge among them. Draped in richly coloured garments and surrounded by the grandeur of classical architecture, they offer food, comfort and protection to their unexpected guests. The scene captures a quiet moment of compassion, where kindness prevails over fear and suspicion.

Painted in 1887, The Women of Amphissa depicts an episode from ancient Greek history in which the Maenads, female followers of Dionysus, wandered into Amphissa after religious festivities and fell asleep in the marketplace. Fearing that the women might come to harm amid a time of conflict, the local women gathered around them, keeping watch through the night and caring for them the following morning. Alma-Tadema immortalises this remarkable act of female solidarity, celebrating the courage, compassion and humanity of women who chose to protect strangers despite the divisions of their age.

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