The Story of Susanna 1536

Hans Schäufelein made this woodcut, The Story of Susanna, sometime in the first half of the 16th century. In it, we see a biblical scene rendered with an eye to contemporary social realities in the German-speaking lands. The story of Susanna, found in the Book of Daniel, is of a woman blackmailed by two elders who lust after her. When she refuses their advances, they falsely accuse her of adultery. Here, we see Susanna’s story unfold across the composition, with particular attention paid to the voyeurism of the elders, peering over walls, and the male gaze of the judges in the courtyard. This work seems particularly attuned to the gender politics of its own time, and the ever-present threat of male violence. It’s a sobering reminder that art is always made in a specific social context, which we can learn more about through historical research.