Susanna and the Elders

Art Historical Context

In the tranquil galleries of Drawings and Prints at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, encounter *Susanna and the Elders a captivating 18th-century red chalk drawing over an incised grid byaver Laurent Cars, after designs by Rococo painter Jean-François de. Measuring 16 13/16 x 13 1/4 inches, this preparatory work from The Elisha Whittelsey Collection evokes the biblical tale from the Book of Daniel where the virtuous Susanna bathes unaware of two lecherous elders spying on her dramatic narrative ripe for artistic exploration. De Troy (1679–1752), a master of elegant, sensual history scenes in the French Rococo style, infused his compositions with fluid lines and soft modeling, celebrating the female form amid moral intrigue. Cars (1699–1771), renowned for reproductive engravings, meticulously rendered this scene, highlighting Susanna's nude figure amid the voyeuristic gazes of the men. The red chalk medium lends warm, tonal depth, mimicking flesh tones and shadows with exquisite subtlety. The incised grid underscores its technical ingenuity: fine lines scored into the surface allowed precise transfer to a printing plate, bridging painting and printmaking in an era when such works democratized elite art. Acquired through The Elisha Whittelsey Fund in 1966, this drawing offers a window into 18th-century workshop practices and the enduring allure of classical stories reimagined with Rococo grace.

About the Artist

Laurent Cars|Jean François de Troy · 1699–1771

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