Susannah and the Elders

"Susannah and the Elders" is a painting by Jacopo Bassano, a late Renaissance painter from the Venetian school known for religious works, landscapes, and scenes of daily life. The painting, created between 1534 and 1536, shows the influence of Bassano's master, Bonifacio Veronese, as well as Lorenzo Lotto and Titian.1

The subject matter of "Susannah and the Elders" comes from an apocryphal addition to the Old Testament Book of Daniel. The story tells of Susanna, a beautiful and pious woman in Babylon, who is falsely accused of adultery by two lustful elders after she rejects their advances. She is condemned to death, but the wise Daniel saves her by cross-examining the elders separately, revealing their lies and leading to their execution. The story is a traditional motif of righteousness triumphing over sin.23