Tintoretto, Susanna and the Elders - 1556 by Atelier Liesjes

The apocryphal part of the book of Daniel tells the story of the beautiful and pious Susanna. While she bathes alone in an enclosed part of the garden, she is besieged by two old judges who have turned a blind eye to her. They threaten to accuse her of adultery if she does not respond to their dishonourable proposals.

Here the girl sits naked in front of a mirror through which her hip, belly and tit are visible.

Subtly illuminated and in a setting of richly varied chiaroscuro, Susanna's beauty occupies the foreground of the painting. Engrossed in her mirror image, she is not yet aware of the two intruders - in contrast to the viewer, who is thereby forced into the position of a voyeur. Distorted perspectives, strong light contrasts and the dynamic retreat into the depths of Tintoretto. The symbolism of animals, only understood by insiders, hardly diminishes the sensual pleasures: the deer on the left back stands for lust, the ducks remind of fidelity, and the magpie sitting on a branch above Susanna's head is a reference to the menacing slander.

Tintoretto (Venice, 29 September 1518 - there, 31 May 1594), was a Venetian painter. His real name was Jacopo Robusti, his nickname means 'the textile dyer'. He owed this name to his father who was a textile dyer ('tintore') by profession.