Susanna at The Bath
Susanna at The Bath
3D
Published 2019-12-09T12:35:21+00:00
This plaster sculpture was created by Derry-born Irish sculptor James Heffernan (1785-1847) and was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1825. The work depicts the biblical character Susannah at the Bath.
In the book of Daniel Susanna, whilst bathing in her garden, is accsted by two lustful elderly men. Threatening to claim that she was meeting a young man in the garden 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 the young Daniel interrupts the proceedings, shouting that the elders should be questioned to prevent the death of an innocent. After being separated, the two men are cross-examined about details of what they saw but disagree about the tree under which Susanna supposedly met her lover. In the Greek text, the names of the trees cited by the elders form puns with the sentence given by Daniel. The first says they were under a mastic tree (ὑπο σχίνον, hypo schinon), and Daniel says that an angel stands ready to cut (σχίσει, schisei) him in two. The second says they were under an evergreen oak tree (ὑπο πρίνον, hypo prinon), and Daniel says that an angel stands ready to saw (πρίσαι, prisai) him in two. The great difference in size between a mastic and an oak makes the elders' lie plain to all the observers. The false accusers are put to death, and virtue triumphs.
| Date published | 09/12/2019 |
| Schwierigkeitsgrad | Medium |
| Title | Susanna at The Bath |
| Date | 1826 |
| Dimension | 125.00 x 82.00 x 50.50 cm |
| Accession | CAG.720 |
| Medium | Plaster |
| Credit | Donated |
| Record | https://de1.zetcom-group.de/MpWeb-mpCrawfordArtGallery/v?mode=online#!m/Object/2503/form/ObjCatalogViewFrm |
| Artist | James Heffernan |
| Place | Crawford Art Gallery |
