Dimensions: support: 1270 x 1492 mm
Copyright: CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: Here we have Sir Peter Lely's "Susanna and the Elders", a large oil on canvas. Susanna seems caught, almost trapped. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Lely certainly captures Susanna’s vulnerability, doesn't he? Think about the power dynamics at play here, consider the male gaze, the societal structures that disempowered women. Editor: So, it’s more than just a biblical story? Curator: Precisely. Lely's painting invites us to consider how women's bodies have historically been sites of contestation and control. Editor: That adds another layer to viewing this piece; seeing the cultural commentary. Curator: Indeed, art often reflects and reinforces societal norms, but it can also challenge them.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/lely-susanna-and-the-elders-t00452
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The subject is taken from the Old Testament. Two community elders have been spying on Susanna by hiding in her garden. When she comes out to bathe, they threaten that unless she has sex with them, they will publicly accuse her of adultery. The penalty for adultery was death. She refuses and their accusations lead to her being arrested. However, the prophet Daniel proves the elders are lying and she is released. Lely was born in Germany, though his family came from the Netherlands. After training in Haarlem, he arrived in England in the early 1640s. Lely was appointed Principal Painter to King Charles II in 1660 and became the leading portrait painter in Britain. Gallery label, October 2019
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