Susanna and the Elders (Primary Title)
Susannah and the Elders (Former Title)
Jacques Blanchard, French, 1600 - 1638 (Artist)
According to the Old Testament, two elders in Babylon secretly plotted to seduce Susannah, the wife of a prosperous merchant. They managed to surprise her while she was bathing alone in her garden and threatened to charge her with adultery if she did not yield. After rejecting their advances she was falsely accused by them and condemned to death as an adulteress. At the eleventh hour, the prophet daniel descovered Susannah's innocence and she was saved.
This enigmatic early work, painted on Blanchard's return to France after nearly four years in Italy, is remarkable for its sensitive coloring and controlled drama. It also shows the close attention he paid to earlier Venetian painters, such as Titian.
"Masterpieces of 17th Century French Painting", Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR : October 11, 2003 – January 5, 2004; Birmingham Museum, Birmingham, AL,January 25 – April 11, 2004; Meadows Museum, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX: April 30 – July 25, 2004
"Falling in Love Again", VMFA, Philip Morris Gallery, July 1 - September 25, 1994.
"Jacques Blanchard", Musée des beaux arts, Rennes, France, February 26 - June 14, 1998
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.