Susannah and the Elders
Artist: Ludovico Carracci (Italian, 1555 - 1619)
Original Dimensions: 57 3/4" x 45 7/8"
Location: National Gallery of Art, London
About Artwork: (1616) "A young woman crouches in the bottom right-hand corner, trying to cover her nakedness with her cloak, while two bearded men leer at her and pull at her clothes. This is Susannah, an Old Testament heroine. Bathing one hot day in her husband’s garden, she was seen by two elders – senior members of the Jewish community – who threatened to accuse her of adultery if she did not sleep with them. The subject was popular with collectors of the period as it offered an excuse for depicting a partly clothed female figure who could be admired without too much guilt. This is a late work by Ludovico, cousin of Agostino and Annibale Carracci. His composition and lighting dramatise the scene. Susannah is brightly lit, emphasising her moral superiority to the shadowy elders and the figures are crammed together and seen close up, adding to the intensity of the scene." - (National Gallery of Art, London)

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