Susanna and the Elders
Artist
Lambert Sustris
(Dutch, ca. 1515 - after 1560)
Dateca. 1550
Object number61.0200
Mediumoil on canvas
Dimensions49 3/16 × 41 5/16 in. (125 × 105 cm)
frame: 56 × 49 1/2 × 3 in. (142.2 × 125.7 × 7.6 cm)
frame: 56 × 49 1/2 × 3 in. (142.2 × 125.7 × 7.6 cm)
ClassificationsPainting
Credit LineMuseo de Arte de Ponce. The Luis A. Ferré Foundation, Inc.
Collections
Description[REPLACE DESCRIPTION - SEE BELOW] Taken from the book of Daniel, the story of the virtuous Susanna, wife of Joachim, became a popular theme in art during the Baroque period. Two elders lusted after the young woman and approached her when she was bathing alone in her garden. When she refused to lie with them, they testified that she had lied with a young man, condemning her to death for adultery. However, God revealed the truth to Daniel who then questioned the elders seperately so that their deceit became public.
[NEW DESCRIPTION] This representation of the story of Susanna and the Elders, narrated in the Book of Daniel, was influenced by the tradition in Venetian Renaissance art of depicting idealized female figures in sublime landscapes, begun by Giorgione and popularized by Titian. The beauty of Susana, with her porcelain skin, her golden curls and jewels, and the idyllic landscape in the background of the composition, hides the tragedy of the story: the sexual assault that paralyzes the woman who can only raise her eyes to heaven imploring for God’s help.
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