Artwork
Susanna and the elders
Susanna and the elders is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Hendrick de Clerck. It dates from 1609 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Hendrick de Clerck’s oil painting *Susanna and the elders* dates to 1609. Executed in Brussels, the work presents a biblical episode in which Susanna is confronted by two older men. The composition centers on the female figure, whose white drapery contrasts with the red garments of the men, set against a landscape that includes a stone urn, flowering tree, and distant architecture.
Subject & Meaning
The scene derives from the Book of Daniel, recounting the attempted seduction of Susanna by two elders who later accuse her of impropriety. De Clerck captures the moment of confrontation, emphasizing the moral tension between virtue and corruption. The gestures of the men and the vulnerable posture of Susanna convey the narrative’s themes of injustice and the peril of false testimony.
Technique & Style
The treatment of light and the slightly elongated forms echo the transitional aesthetic preceding the full Baroque vigor of Rubens.
Rendered in oil on canvas, the painting reflects early Baroque sensibilities while retaining hallmarks of late Mannerism. De Clerck employs a vivid palette, using deep reds and luminous whites to delineate figures, and arranges the composition to draw the eye toward the central figure. The treatment of light and the slightly elongated forms echo the transitional aesthetic preceding the full Baroque vigor of Rubens.
History & Provenance
Created in the early seventeenth century, the work entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains on display. Its provenance traces back to the artist’s activity in Brussels, a hub for Flemish painters who integrated Italian influences. The painting’s presence in a national museum underscores its relevance to the study of cross‑regional artistic exchange during the period.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Hendrick de Clerck (c. 1560 – 27 August 1630) was a Flemish painter active in Brussels during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Stylistically he belongs to the late Mannerist generation of artists…
