Artwork
Die keusche Susanna
Die keusche Susanna is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Unknown. It dates from 1570 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
The work titled “Die keusche Susanna” presents a bustling street tableau where a partially clothed woman occupies the central position, gripping a man’s arm. Around them a crowd jostles, some observing, others reacting with tears, kneeling, or clutching garments, while buildings and a distant throng form the backdrop.
Subject & Meaning
At its core the painting captures a moment of tension and urgency, focusing on the interaction between the central female figure and the surrounding onlookers. The varied gestures—crying, kneeling, a child holding a skirt—suggest a narrative of conflict or moral crisis, inviting viewers to contemplate the circumstances that have drawn such a chaotic response.
Technique & Style
The artist employs pronounced chiaroscuro, juxtaposing deep shadows with illuminated faces and limbs to accentuate individual actions. This stark lighting creates a dramatic atmosphere, heightening the sense of immediacy and drawing attention to the emotional states of the figures.
Context
Set within an urban street, the composition includes architectural elements that recede into the distance, providing spatial depth. The crowded foreground and the distant mass of people reinforce the feeling of a public spectacle, situating the scene within a communal rather than private sphere.
Legacy
By emphasizing contrast and collective reaction, the painting contributes to the tradition of narrative genre scenes that explore human drama through light and composition, reflecting ongoing artistic interest in portraying moral or emotional tension in public settings.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
The Visitation
Christ Tells His Disciples of the Last Judgment
Susanna im Bade
Cleopatra übergibt Augustus Krone uund Szepter
Suzannah before Daniel
Samson und Dalila
Der hl. Rochus verteilt Almosen
The Betrayal of Christ
Vertreibung der Wechsler aus dem Tempel (Kopie nach)
Raising Lazarus from the Dead
Solomon Led to Idolatry by His Wives
Untitled