Susanna and the Elders 1838 - 1909

"Susanna and the Elders" is a pencil drawing by American artist Walter Shirlaw, completed between 1838 and 1909. The drawing, now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, depicts a scene from the biblical Book of Daniel. The composition focuses on Susanna, a young woman, as she is confronted by two elders who attempt to blackmail her. Shirlaw's loose, expressive lines capture the tension and drama of the moment. The use of chiaroscuro, with strong contrasts of light and shadow, creates a sense of intrigue and secrecy surrounding the incident. This drawing is a study for Shirlaw's later oil painting, which he completed in 1880.