Abstract:
Two iconic biblical women, Bathsheba and Susanna, were common subjects for Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque artists. This was partly because female flesh was always a popular subject, partly because their stories were so full of drama and tragedy, and partly because the moral and theological issues raised were so interesting. Different artists brought different interpretations, prejudices and preconceptions to their representations of these women. This thesis will explore the ways in which different artists spanning from the thirteenth to the seventeenth centuries portrayed Susanna and Bathsheba, and how the artists’ depictions of their bodies affected the themes projected by the images produced. The main themes that will be explored in this thesis are voyeurism, gender and power imbalance, and sexual abuse. This thesis will analyze the ways in which these themes are represented in images of Susanna and Bathsheba, and how the male gaze relates to their biblical description of ‘beautiful.’
