TO UNDERSTAND THE SCENE

The young woman taking her bath can be Bathsheba or Susanna.

In both cases two pretty women are at their baths. They are alone or with maid-servants but without being aware of it they are watched or spied on. Here this is Bathsheba watched by King David.

The nature of the observers changes the nature of this scene of voyeurism. When it is the young king David watching Bathsheba from his castle, the scene is one of seduction and budding love, one of a strong passion. But when they are two old men hiding behind a bush to spy on Susanna, the scene is one of libidinous lust, of the preparation of a probable rape.

(See the comment on Bathsheba).

There is a third bath: that of Esther who prepares herself to meet King Ahasuerus, her husband, but, at her toilet, there is nobody except for her maid-servants to watch or spy on her.

Outside the Bible

The toilet of Venus is a classical mythological theme that is often represented. The presence of little Cupids allows the spectator to distinguish it from biblical scenes.

The bath of Diana-Artemis is also a classical theme. The chaste goddess is bathing when she is surprised by the hunter Acteon and she orders her dogs to devour him.

Susanna and the Elders; Jacopo TINTORETTO; 1555 oil on canvas; Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Web Gallery of Art

The beautiful and pious Susanna is the wife of a person of distinction. Two old men, who are frequent visitors at the house, begin to desire the woman.
 "she went in as before with two maids only, and she was desirous to wash herself in the garden: for it was hot.
And there was nobody there save the two elders, that had hid themselves, and watched her."

Susanna dismisses her maid-servants; then they stand up and ask her to go to bed with them, otherwise "we will bear witness against you, that a young man was with you: and therefore you sent away your maids from you" (Daniel 13:15-21)

Susanna prefers to risk being stoned for adultery than sinning in front of God, and she calls for help.
The old men accuse her; everybody believes them and condemns Susanna.

But young Daniel, inspired by God, declares there has been a false testimony. He questions the old men separately; they contradict each other and it is they who are condemned to be stoned.

Comment
 

This narrative built like a play is meant to show the clear-sightedness of young Daniel, a Jew transported to the court of the sovereigns of Babylon during the Exile.

The moral of the narrative is also a radical criticism of what is most respected in society: justice and old age wisdom.

Susanna, a young woman at the bath

Two compositions make the old men’s threat quite real; the innocent Susanna conceals her nakedness.

This time, the old men are not only present but they also introduce into the garden the young man whose favours they will accuse Susanna to accept.

Bathsheba and Susanna painted by the same artist. A great symmetry in the composition with a multiplication of characters that creates a movement: David’s messenger enters and Susanna’s maid-servants go out.

 (See the commentary on Bathsheba).