Now open: exhibition “The Creation of a Masterpiece. Rembrandt's Berlin Susanna and the Elders” in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin
2 April 2015
Among the many important works by Rembrandt in the Gemäldegalerie's possession is his masterpiece Susanna and the Elders. The painting's theme is the Old-Testament story of Susanna, the virtuous wife of a rich man, who is observed bathing by two lecherous old judges who blackmail her to grant them sexual favors (which Susanna refuses). The original inspiration for the work was a painting by his teacher, Pieter Lastman. Rembrandt painted the Berlin painting in three stages. He started the panel painting sometime around 1635 and only completed it twelve years later, in 1647.
During the creation of the painting, Rembrandt made studies at each stage of the pentimenti (alterations to the composition). The story of Susanna was during this time also a subject in his workshop as a whole, as seen in numerous depictions of her in drawings by his pupils. The exhibition is jointly organized by the Gemäldegalerie and Kupferstichkabinett and takes a closer look at the pentimenti. Also on display are the variations on the theme made by Rembrandt's pupils. Technical analysis and research have also delivered sensational findings: we now know that significant changes were made to the painting by the English artist and collector Sir Joshua Reynolds, who owned the painting at one point.
Thanks to the close collaboration with the Gemäldegalerie the comprehensive art historical information and rich technical documentation of the painting Susanna and the Elders will soon be available in The Rembrandt Database.
The exhibition “The Creation of a Masterpiece. Rembrandt's Berlin Susanna and the Elders” is on view until May 31 in the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.