Who painted Susanna and the Elders?

Susanna and the Elders was painted by Sebald Beham in 1525.

Where can I see Susanna and the Elders?

Susanna and the Elders is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Susanna and the Elders?

Susanna and the Elders is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Susanna and the Elders?

Museum-quality prints of Susanna and the Elders are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Susanna and the Elders

Sebald Beham , 1525

Susanna and the Elders is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist Sebald Beham. It dates from 1525 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:recto: probably in later hand, lower right in ink: IsB; verso: in later hand, center, in ink: [undeciphered] v.H.S.Beham. / No 192. / 18 [undeciphered] 5 M. [undeciphered] / 18 " 8 " [undeciphered] / 403 [number in graphite]
Markings: Marked:verso: Robert Ludwig Mond (Lugt 2813a); v.d.W. (Lugt undesc)

About this work

Overview

Sebald Beham’s drawing Susidia and the Elders, executed in 1525, is a pen‑and‑ink composition enriched with wash, white highlights, and a blue‑toned ground. The work presents a compact, narrative scene in which a young woman is observed by two older men as she prepares to bathe, a moment drawn from the biblical Book of Daniel.

Subject & Meaning

The image visualises the story of Susanna, a figure celebrated for her chastity, who is covertly watched by two corrupt elders while she undresses. The tension between the vulnerable woman and the leering men underscores themes of voyeurism, moral corruption, and the peril faced by virtuous individuals in a hostile society.

Technique & Style

Beham employs swift, gestural lines to convey movement, while cross‑hatching creates depth and shadow. The wash, applied over a blue‑prepared paper, provides a muted atmospheric backdrop, allowing the white accents to illuminate facial features and clothing folds. This combination of ink, wash, and selective white highlights typifies the precise yet lively hand of the “Little Masters.”

History & Provenance

Born in Nuremberg in 1500, Beham later worked in Frankfurt and became a prominent member of the “Little Masters,” a circle of German artists who produced finely detailed prints after Albrecht Dürer’s generation. The drawing, a rare example of his work on paper rather than print, reflects his skill in translating narrative subjects into compact, highly finished drawings.