Of the many scenes Colville depicted using himself and his wife, Rhoda, as models, Woman in Bathtub stands out as one that explores the darker and more disquieting side of male/female relationships. Although the woman is in a vulnerable position, and the man is in one of authority, the sense of menace comes from our reading of the painting, not the image itself. Colville presents a moment when a few facts, innocent enough on the surface, can induce an ill-defined sense of fear.