Almost alone with Suzanna
Suzanna, Rembrandt, 1636 Mauritshuis, The Hague
She does not speak, so it is a communication we lead in silence and almost solitude. She has just become aware that she is not alone, contrary to her expectations. Suzanna, shivering, stands with one foot on her shoe, her right hand presses the towel firmly against her body with a gesture of alarm, and she holds her left arm before her bosom. She is about to bath, when suddenly she hears voices. To us viewers there are two men hiding in the dark behind her, but she can’t see them, they are hardly visible even to us as.
As the Bible story goes, a fair wife named Suzanna is lustfully and secretly observed by two elders whilst taking a bath in her garden. When she makes her way back to the house, they threaten to claim that she was meeting a young man unless she agrees to have sex with them.
She refuses to be blackmailed and is arrested and about to be put to death for promiscuity when a young man interrupts the proceedings, shouting that the elders should be questioned to prevent the death of an innocent. As they contradict each other during the questioning it is they who are exposed as liars and subsequently convicted.
The story has been frequently depicted since about the late 15th century by many artists. Some interpretations emphasise the drama, others concentrate on the woman’s nudity. Rembrandt’s rendition is totally different and takes us by surprise. He focuses his painting on Suzanna’s emotion. We see the distress in her face, her fear and anxiety touching us to a point were we want to jump into the scene and protect her. At the same time we are made part of her embarrassment as we look onto her. It is us she is facing, making us complicit in her shame and distress just as the elders in the bushes. It is an extraordinary way in which Rembrandt uses Suzanna’s emotion and our reaction to it to convey the morality of her innocence. Rembrandt portrays Suzanna in full light, which makes her appear even more vulnerable in her nakedness. He does not paint an idealised woman either, but one of flesh and blood. You can still see the impression left on her calves by the stockings she has just taken off. This is a young woman like so many that throughout the ages have been subjected to improper and unwanted advances. In the story she will refuse to be blackmailed, rather willing to die than consent to an act she despises. Note how she steps firmly on her slipper. In the 17th century slippers placed in front of a nude picture of a woman were used as a symbol to describe somehow loose morals, typical of brothel scenes for example. The fact that Suzanna is firmly stepping on her slipper suggests that she is unwavering in protecting herself.
Her story ends well but we are reminded of all those that didn’t. It is pertinent that such a small scene painted more than 300 years ago can be so contemporary meaningful to us today as many young and not so young women are coming out with their own versions of Suzanna’s story. Rembrandt was interested in the human condition and emotion. Many works reveal his skill at capturing his subjects in the most empathetic yet truthful and authentic way. We can’t hide from Suzanna like the old men do.
Photo credit: The photo is from the Mauritshuis website. I visited the Mauritshuis and was struck when I came face to face with Suzanna. Visit the museum in winter and you will find yourself alone and in silent conversations with many superb artworks of the Dutch Golden Age.