Exhibition Piece 6

 

Susanna and the Elders (c. 1610) by Artemisia Gentileschi. Oil on canvas. Schloss Weißenstein collection, Pommersfelden, Germany. Source Wikimedia Commons

Here we have a famous painting done by artists Gentileschi. This is another famous artist from the Baroque Period, he is most known for his oil paintings. This piece is titled “Susanna and the Elders.” This painting is a perfect example of telling a narrative through body language and through the use of colors. In this piece you notice three characters. There are two men standing behind the woman. The man on the left is wearing dark clothing and he is whispering into the ear of the man on the right. The man on the right appears to be older than the man on the right. He is balding and has light ashy grey hair. He is wearing a bold red cape. The woman is nude, except for a small cloth draped across her bottom half. She has both her arms up, and she is waving away these men. She has a distressed and uncomfortable look on her face. Her cheeks are flushed, and her mouth is open. She is sitting on a ledge, assumably made from concrete. The story of this piece is of Susanna, the woman, being pestered by men whilst taking a bath. These men, according to the bible story, were sent in her bath to spy on her, where they then proceeded to demand sexual favors from young Susanna. It is really amazing how Gentileschi used body language to interpret this story. The coloring of her flushed cheeks also allows the viewer to see how uncomfortable poor Susanna is. Not only does the body language express emotion, but from a small hint of color too.