Follower of Pieter Lastman, 17th Century Susanna and the Elders Oil on canvas, 56 x 82 cm Frame 71 x 95 cm The painting depicts the well-known Old Testament story of Susanna, the beautiful and pious wife of Joachim, a wealthy Jew exiled in Babylon. While bathing in her garden, she was spied upon by two old men, who made indecent proposals to her in vain; then, in revenge, they unjustly accused the chaste woman of adultery with a young man (Daniel 13:1-24). This subject was one of the most popular themes in biblical iconography and has been depicted countless times in early modern painting. As an example of feminine chastity, the theme was obviously an "exemplum virtutis", but this biblical bathing scene was also a pretext for depicting sensual female nudes. The destination of this type of painting was mainly the relative solitude of bourgeois or aristocratic interiors. The work can be placed within the strand of biblical representation influenced by Pieter Lastman (Amsterdam, 1583 –1633), one of the most important history painters of his time. In 1614, the artist created his representation of the chaste Susanna, which Rembrandt would later use as a source of inspiration. In 1603, he visited Italy, particularly Rome, where he remained until 1605/07 and had the opportunity to directly experience the works of Caravaggio and Adam Elsheimer, which were fundamental to his artistic training. Becoming a follower of Elsheimer, he opted for a more expressive and dramatically forceful manner, representing historical subjects with realistic accents and attention to the psychology of the characters, in which the influence of Caravaggio is noticeable. Upon his return to the Netherlands, he became a prominent figure in the Amsterdam art scene, where he remained until his death. When Rembrandt van Rijn painted Susanna and the Elders, religious themes were not as common in Dutch art as in the rest of Europe, due to the rise of Protestantism in the Netherlands and a loss of favor towards the Catholic tradition. Initially, in 1636, he made a drawing on the theme of Susanna and the Elders based on a painting by his teacher Pieter Lastman. The canvas completed in 1647, however, presents a different composition from that of Lastman, except for some similarities. If in previous paintings Susanna often had a sensual or erotic charge, Rembrandt chose to depict the attempted assault by the elders as it was described in the story. The painting features intense colors and shading typical of the Rembrandtesque style, but the architecture looks towards the iconographies of Pieter Lastman. Susanna is minding her own business but is interrupted by the elders. The lush surroundings, the dense vegetation surrounding the place, the Flemish palace in the background on the right, and the classical architecture on the left give the canvas an atypical atmosphere compared to the theme.