Document 12-6: Artemisia Gentileschi, Susannah and the Elders (1610)

Susannah and the Elders (1610)

Taken from the Book of Daniel, the story of Susannah and the Elders centers on a false accusation of adultery. As Susannah, a young wife, bathes in her garden, two elders of her community watch secretly. Filled with lust, the two men threaten to denounce her as an adulteress if she refuses to have sex with them. When she resists their attempts at blackmail, they follow through on their threat. Only the intervention of Daniel, who exposes inconsistencies in their story, saves Susannah from execution. As you examine the painting, pay particular attention to the way Gentileschi composed it. How does the placement of the three figures help to amplify its message?

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Susannah and the Elders, ca. 1610 (oil on canvas), Gentileschi, Artemisia (1597–ca. 1651) / Private Collection / The Bridgeman Art Library.

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