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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.

The National Gallery, London

London

Title

Susannah and the Elders

Date

1616

Medium

Oil on canvas

Measurements

H 146.6 x W 116.5 cm

Accession number

NG28

Acquisition method

Bought, 1824

Work type

Painting

The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

View venue

Artist or maker

Ludovico Carracci

1555–1619

View profile

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