It currently hangs in the Schloss Weißenstein collection, in Pommersfelden, Germany. Susanna then gives a loud cry, and the elders shout too. They gave her a choice of committing adultery with them in secret or being accused by them of the sin she had not committed. Susanna is the subject of paintings by many artists, including (but not limited to) Lorenzo Lotto (Susanna and the Elders, 1517), Guido Reni, Rubens, Van Dyck (Susanna and the Elders), Tintoretto, Rembrandt, Tiepolo, and Artemisia Gentileschi. In the presence of the people they said, 29 “Send for Susanna daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joakim.” 30 So they sent for her. [4][2][5] Gentileschi‘s Susanna is both uncomfortable and more feminine than Carracci’s[2] Susanna, whose body appears more anatomically masculine yet is portrayed in a more eroticized position, as if receptive to the two elders' attention. Check out our susanna and elders selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Susanna and the Elders. 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. 255 Philadelphia Museum of Art: Susannah and the Elders: painting by Previously attributed to Hendrick Goltzius Royal Collection: RCIN 406921 15th century Suzanne et les vieillards: Suzanne et les vieillards: Susanna im Bade: painting by Schick, Carl Susanna and the elders is a theme that frequently occurs in early Christian art. The men threatened to ruin her reputation, but Susanna held fast. [2] Artemisia's naturalistic rendering of the female form stands in contrast to her father's style, however the adjustments revealed by x-rays may suggest that Orazio's guidance was focused on compositional arrangement rather than depiction. [2] The date of this painting is important because if it was done in 1616 or 1619 it would put it into the Florentine period, but since the painting was done in 1610 this painting was created in the Roman period. "Life Without Instruction: Artemisia, and the Lesson of Perspective", "Susanna and the Elders, Restored - X-Ray", Self-Portrait as Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Saint Januarius in the Amphitheatre at Pozzuoli, Self-Portrait as the Allegory of Painting, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Susanna_and_the_Elders_(Artemisia_Gentileschi,_Pommersfelden)&oldid=1021810010, Paintings depicting Susanna and the Elders, Wikipedia articles with Bildindex identifiers, Wikipedia articles with RKDID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with multiple identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 6 May 2021, at 20:12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susanna_and_the_Elders_(Artemisia_Gentileschi) Susanna and the Elders is a painting by the Venetian painter Tintoretto (Jacopo Robusti, 1518–1594). Subtly lit and in a setting of richly varied chiaroscuro, Susanna’s beauty occupies the foreground of the painting. As you can imagine, a story that was treated by many artists spawned different artistic interpretations. However, there is no evidence confirming either opinion. It is one of the additions to Daniel, considered apocryphal by Protestants. A deuterocanonical addition to the book of Daniel recounts the dramatic story of the [2], Gentileschi's father, Orazio Gentileschi, was one of the first people in Italy to paint in the style of Caravaggio. Sculpture, Room 111, The Gilbert Bayes Gallery Paulus van Vianen was a highly influential goldsmith at the court in Munich and was later employed by Rudolph II in Prague. In 1681 Alessandro Stradella wrote an oratorio in two parts La Susanna for Francesco II, Duke of Modena, based upon the story. The Anchor Bible uses "yew" and "hew" and "clove" and "cleave" to get this effect in English. Susanna and The Elders was painted near the time that a charge of rape was brought to court by Gentileschi’s father, also a painter, on her behalf. Joakin had a walled garden at this house and it was to this garden that his beautiful wife would resort when the elders came. In his introduction, he indicated that Susanna was an apocryphal addition because it was not present in the Hebrew text of Daniel. [7][6] With Gentileschi's father being her first teacher, it was not surprising that Gentileschi painted in a similar style. It depicts the story of Susanna, a Deuterocanonical text from the book of Daniel in the Bible.The painting is currently housed at the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin. Riello,J, Guercino 'Susanna and the Elders' En:, Italian masterpieces from Spain's royal court, Museo del Prado, National Gallery of Victoria Thames & Hudson, 2014, pp. Nowa seria..., 4, … Artist Kathleen Gilje created a work of art based on Gentileschi's painting in which she made one, more violent version of Gentileschi's painting in lead paint, then painted a copy of Gentileschi's original over top. [2] This information was corrected by art historian R. Ward Bissell in the year 1968 when she found a public record for Gentileschi's birth year. Susannah and the Elders Guido Reni An apocryphal addition to the Old Testament describes how two lecherous elders threatened to accuse Susannah, a beautiful young woman, of adultery – a crime punishable by death – if she did not give in to their desires. The Belgian writer Marnix Gijsen borrows elements of the story in his first novel Het boek van Joachim van Babylon, 1947. 158. [8] Rather, the body of works are attributed to Gentileschi,[8] partly because historians have been able to match her paintings‘ signatures on letters she wrote. Susanna and the Elders A popular image in sixteenth-eighteenth-century art is the Old Testament story of Susanna and the Elders. [1] Gentileschi‘s vertical composition also spreads the two elders at the top as a dark element hovering over the scene, creating a feeling of malevolent pressure imposed upon Susanna. Susanna and the Elders, An Ancient Story Gentileschi’s painting depicts the story of Susanna and the Elders, from The Book of Daniel. Mary reveals the extraordinary story behind a famous nude by female artist, Artemisia Gentileschi. This was a popular scene to paint during the time of the Baroque period. ), remarking that the story was commonly read in the early Church (Letter to Africanus); he also noted the story's absence in the Hebrew text, observing (in Epistola ad Africanum) that it was "hidden" by the Jews in some fashion. The elders are depicted as paintings hanging on the wall behind her. Susanna, a Hebrew wife, was falsely accused of participating in sexual acts with a man who was not her husband by two voyeuristic judges. [8], Gentileschi did not include landscape or background in many of her paintings. The people in Joakim’s household run into the garden via a side door–the door that Susanna’s maids used to exit, and which they had not locked–and behold the spectacle. [2] Rather than depicting the typical body type of previous paintings of Susanna, Gentileschi chose a more Classical style for Susanna’s body, which elevates her nudity in a more heroic sense. [2] The two elders then falsely accused Susanna of adultery - a crime which was punishable by death. The Greek puns in the texts have been cited by some[4] as proof that the text never existed in Hebrew or Aramaic, but other researchers[5] have suggested pairs of words for trees and cutting that sound similar enough to suppose that they could have been used in an original. The elders spied on Susanna[2] and then demanded sexual favors from her,[2] which she refused. She refuses to be blackmailed and is arrested and about to be put to death for adultery when the young Daniel interrupts the proceedings, shouting that the elders should be questioned to prevent the death of an innocent. The great difference in size between a mastic and an oak makes the elders' lie plain to all the observers. [8] The Uruguayan painter Juan Manuel Blanes also painted two versions of the story, most notably one where the two voyeurs are not in sight, and Susanna looks to her right with a concerned expression on her face. Gilje titled this piece Susanna and the Elders Restored [10] . [2], Gentileschi painted this scene at least twice more during her lifetime. [5] One opinion comes from Marry D. Garrard who thinks that Gentileschi is representing a rare visual of a female who has been victimized. The seven-month trial produced evidence of sexual harassment and rape of the 19-year-old artist by her teacher, … The Elders Testify against Susanna 28 The next day, when the people gathered at the house of her husband Joakim, the two elders came, full of their wicked plot to have Susanna put to death. [8] However, R. Ward Bissell questions if she was the one signing her paintings because of the spellings used in four of the letters in which "Gentileschi" is spelled with the letter "e" used in place of "i". Susanna and the Elders, attributed to the school of Frans Floris, c.1550 Susanna and the Elders is a story from the Old Testament book of Daniel, but is only present in the Roman Catholic and Orthodox versions. Susanna and the Elders is a painting by Venetian painter Jacopo Robusti (1518–1594). [2], Gentileschi‘s painting has been compared to that of other artists who utilized the same subject. Art historian Rave said that the last digit looks like a 6 or a 9 so the date could be 1616 or 1619. When she refuses, they have her arrested, claiming that the reason she sent her maids away was to be alone as she was having sex with a young man under a tree. [7][5] However, no other artist had explored the psychological dimension of this Biblical story before, suggesting that Gentileschi's father, a traditionally trained artist, would have had no hand in influencing the concept of the young artist’s painting. [2] They speculated whether she had studied female anatomy or used a model of her father’s, as his work studio was in the family home. Origen received the story as part of the 'divine books' and censured 'wicked presbyters' who did not recognize its authenticity (Hom Lev 1.3. The subject depicts Susanna, the wife of a prosperous Jew in Babylon, who was secretly desired by two elders of the community. [1], Art historians Roberto Longhi and Andrea Emiliani questioned how Gentileschi could paint a convincing female nude at such a young age. [4], The questioning of the date of this painting started with the Joesph Heller's guidebook for the Pommersfelden collection in 1845. Susanna and the Elders is housed in the Weißenstein Castle now, a magnificent Baroque palace, the pearl of Bavaria, in the same collection as Titian, Rubens, and Van Dyck. Shakespeare refers to this biblical episode in the trial scene of The Merchant of Venice, where first Shylock and then Gratiano praise Portia as being "A second Daniel" because of her sound judgments. [2] Susanna had gone out to the garden one day for a bath when her housekeeper let the two elders in. SUSANNA AND THE ELDERSSUSANNA AND THE ELDERS , apocryphal work added to the canonical Book of Daniel in ancient versions. Other symbols of this type are Daniel in the lions' den and the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace. Susanna and the Elders is a 1610-1 painting by the Italian artist Artemisia Gentileschi. At this point, the elders make their accusation. [5] On the other hand, Gianni Papi stated that the two elders were meant to represent her father and her second teacher, Tassi, because it is thought that his harassment of her was going on in the years prior to the rape and trial. This subject matter for this painting comes from the deuterocanonical Book of Susanna in the Additions to Da… On the other hand, art historians like Rose-Marie Hagen said that it is a 0 and the date was correct at 1610. [4] As shown in this painting, the only background is a blue sky. He consciously included pubic hair, unlike the statue-like images of classical art. It is listed in Article VI of the 39 Articles of the Church of England among the books which are read "for example of life and instruction of manners", but not for the formation of doctrine. [1] It is not included in the Jewish Tanakh and is not mentioned in early Jewish literature,[2] although the text does appear to have been part of the original Septuagint from the 2nd century BC,[3] and was revised by Theodotion, a Hellenistic Jewish redactor of the Septuagint text (c. 150 AD). [9] By 1719, the painting was part of the Schönborn collection. Susanna was a kind woman who was married to one of the respected man in town. 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. It is one of the additions to Daniel, considered apocryphal by Protestants. In Shakespeare’s day it was not printed in any of the Protestant bibles. The images are based on the following passage … [8] The spelling and format of signature varied because at that time, spelling was not standardized. This was a popular scene to paint during the time of the Baroque period. … In the second-century prayers of the Commendatio Animae, Susanna delivered from false accusation symbolizes the soul of the elect protected from various perils. In practice however, it allowed artists the opportunity to display their skill in the depiction of the female nude, often for the pleasure of their male patrons. The American opera Susannah by Carlisle Floyd, which takes place in the American South of the 20th century, is also inspired by this story, but with a less-than-happy ending and with the elders replaced by a hypocritical traveling preacher who rapes Susannah. [1] It is only when a young Hebrew wise man named Daniel questioned them separately did he observe that details in the two elders' stories did not match up. The story is portrayed on the Lothair Crystal, an engraved rock crystal made in the Lotharingia region of northwest Europe in the mid 9th century, now in the British Museum.[7]. Städel. Sextus Julius Africanus did not regard the story as canonical. The fable was set during the Great Depression, and Benton included himself as one of the voyeurs. Robusti, also known as Tintoretto or Il Furioso, for the energy and "fury" with which he painted, depicted both sacred and profane subjects in a period known as the Venetian “golden century”. [2] Gentileschi‘s Susanna sits uncomfortably,[2] a twist to her body showing her distress, unlike many depictions that fail to reveal any discomfort. Susanna and the Elders is a painting by the Dutch artist Rembrandt from the Baroque period.It is an oil on panel painting completed in the year 1647. Susanna, brought up by religious parents who taught her the law of Moses, married Joakim, a very rich man of Babylon at whose house the elders of the Jews met and where they held their trials. Susanna and the Elders is a 1610 painting by the Italian Baroque artist Artemisia Gentileschi and is her earliest known signed and dated work. Susanna was rehabilitated while the two old men were sentenced to death. After being separated, the two men are cross-examined about details of what they saw but disagree about the tree under which Susanna supposedly met her lover. [2] This painting was x-rayed in 1970 by Susanna P. Sack and it was confirmed that the date on this painting says 1610. It is listed in Article VI of the 39 Articles of the Church of England among the books which are read "for example of life and instruction of manners", but not for the formation of doctrine. Susanna and the Elders: painting by Scarsellino Ippolito Scarsella Philadelphia Museum of Art: Cat. Kilian, Joanna, Beltá crudele Milósc u Guercina, Rocznik Muzeum Narodowego w Warszawie. ‘Susanna and the Elders’ was created in 1622 by Anthony van Dyck in Baroque style. In early examples, the focus is on The Walters Art Museum. As she bathes in her garden, having sent her attendants away, two elders, having previously said goodbye to each other, bump into each other again when they spy on her bathing. Susanna, a young Jewish wife, was secretly desired by two elders of the community, who plotted together to seduce her. [4] It was not until the mid-1630s that Gentileschi began using background or landscape. In 1749, George Frideric Handel wrote an English-language oratorio Susanna. The two elders each described different trees; and so, with this conflicting evidence, Susanna’s innocence was proved. The first says they were under a mastic tree (ὑπο σχίνον, hypo schinon), and Daniel says that an angel stands ready to cut (σχίσει, schisei) him in two. [2] Their conflicting stories revealed the falsehood of their testimony, thus clearing Susanna’s name. Susanna was a fair Hebrew wife who was falsely accused by lecherous voyeurs. Susanna was a fictional … The false accusers are put to death, and virtue triumphs. Discover recipes, home ideas, style inspiration and other ideas to try. There are no known early Jewish references to the Susanna story. Shakespeare is assumed to have named his eldest daughter after the biblical character. In the Greek text, the names of the trees cited by the elders form puns with the sentence given by Daniel. Susanna and the Elders is a story from the Book of Daniel in the Bible. It depicts the … Susanna and the Elders by Alessandro Allori, Susannah and the Elders, Jan Matsys, The Phoebus Foundation, Susanna and Elders, 1860 woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld in Die Bibel in Bildern, Trial of Susanna, 1860 woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld in Die Bibel in Bildern, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Susanna at her Bath, 1850, Francesco Hayez", The Devout Woman and the Two Wicked Elders, An illustrated story of Susanna and the Elders, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Susanna_(Book_of_Daniel)&oldid=1016865395, Articles needing additional references from August 2011, All articles needing additional references, Wikipedia articles with WorldCat-VIAF identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 9 April 2021, at 13:54. Dyck in Baroque style our Susanna and the elders they gave her a choice of committing with. 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