Susannah at Her Bath

Oil on canvas
130.1x90.2

'Susannah at her Bath' features the main character from the Biblical tale, 'Susannah and the Elders'. While she is bathing, the young woman is approached by two elders who, driven by lust, threaten to accuse her of adultery if she does not succumb to their desires. She refuses and is sentenced to death by stoning, but is ultimately saved when the men's guilt is uncovered.

In this painting, Merle depicts Susannah as she hastily tries to cover herself in modesty as she discovers the unwelcome gaze of her sinister visitors.