Formerly, the two sheets, Birmingham 1927P480.1 and 1927P480.2, were joined. One of a number of studies in Birmingham's collection related to an unrealised composition called 'The Fates', which Burne-Jones worked on in 1865. 'The Fates' (also called 'The Lovers'), depicts the three Fates themselves, seated, looking down upon a male and female couple