Susanna Bathing
around 1555/56 | Jacopo Robusti, gen. Tintoretto
In the Old Testament the story is told of Susanna, bathing in her own garden, receiving indecent propositions from two men who have secretly made their way in. When Susanna rejects them, they slander her in front of her husband. Only Daniel’s speech to the trial rescues Susanna from the death sentence to which she had been sentenced for alleged adultery. The tension inherent to the scene – the “calm before the storm” – is visualised by means of contrasts between bright and dark, between extreme proximity and great distance, between the dazzling beauty of the woman and the caricatured physiognomy of the men etc.
In the Old Testament the story is told of Susanna, bathing in her own garden, receiving indecent propositions from two men who have secretly made their way in. When Susanna rejects them, they slander her in front of her husband. Only Daniel’s speech to the trial rescues Susanna from the death sentence to which she had been sentenced for alleged adultery. The tension inherent to the scene – the “calm before the storm” – is visualised by means of contrasts between bright and dark, between extreme proximity and great distance, between the dazzling beauty of the woman and the caricatured physiognomy of the men etc.
Artist:
Jacopo Robusti, gen. Tintoretto (1518 - 1594 Venedig) DNB
Time:
around 1555/56
Object Name
Painting
Culture
Italian, Venetian
Material/technology:
Canvas
Dimensions:
146 cm × 193,6 cm
Framed: 187 cm × 220 cm × 12 cm
Copyright
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Gemäldegalerie
Invs.
Gemäldegalerie, 1530
Provenance
1648 described by Ridolfi in the house of Nicolas Régnier; 1677 Coll. Giovanni Roetta, Venice; Before 1712 in the gallery
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