La Casta Susana
La Casta Susana (The Susanna Caste) c1862 by Uruguayan Painter Juan Manuel Blanes (1830 – 1901) of the Realist School and one of the most renowned portrait artist of Uruguay.
The painting depicts a scene from the book of Daniel in which Susanna is falsely accused of promiscuity (a crime punishable by death), by two lustful elders that were watching her as she bathed and then tried to blackmail her into having sex with them.
She is depicted here sitting within an enclosure inside of a garden sitting on the stone edge of a pool with her legs in the water as she looks off to her right partially covering herself with a white cloth, with a disturbed look on her face.
Behind her is a stone wall with writings on it as well as a face over an earn that has waster coming out of its open mouth and into a large basin creating a fountain.
Behind that wall are very large green plants; and there are also additional blankets behind where Susanna is made of an orange material and beside her made of a gold material with burgundy borders.
This is a retouched digital art old masters reproduction of a public domain image that is available for sale online as a rolled canvas print.
About Juan Manyel Blanes
Juan Manuel Blanes was a prominent figure in the development of art in Uruguay during the 19th century.
He studied in Europe, where he was exposed to the styles and techniques of the great European painters of the time.
He is known for his detailed and realistic depictions of historical events and figures, often with an emphasis on military and political themes.
He also painted portraits, landscapes and everyday life scenes. He is considered the first great Uruguayan painter of historical themes, his paintings are considered a visual chronicle of the country’s history.
Some of his most famous works include “The Battle of Cerro Corá,” “The Surrender of Manuel Oribe,” and “The Oath of the Constitution of 1830.”
