Susanna and the Elders
1700
chalk
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1700
chalk
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a tense scene of three figures. Two older men loom over a woman in a light robe, their faces half-hidden in shadow. The woman stands still, her posture tight, while the men reach toward her. The background is mostly blank, keeping focus on their faces and hands. The artist used quick, loose lines and soft shading to show emotion without detail. The red chalk and wash give the whole image a warm, muted tone. Next, look up Baroque to see how drama like this fit into the era’s art.
![Study for the "Madonna della Scodella" [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/cec1475fbb0f2ca2/thumb.webp)
