Barry Trower

This week we feature an old theme of lust from the Bible. In the story Susanna is observed at her bath by two elders who have sent her servants away. They attempt to take advantage of our heroine, but virtue and truth win out, and in the end the elders get their comeuppance.

Here is a drawing of the scene done in compressed charcoal on paper. Compressed charcoal is very hard and unforgiving but gives very deep blacks. The elders have been reduced to one horny old goat but the sense of voyeurism remains.

Here is a painting of Susanna that hangs in my in-laws’ house. It is done in a kind of unusual style for me, but I like the way the setting sun comes through the clearing to land on her figure, and the expressions on the faces, which reveal the innocence of Susanna versus the the evil intentions of the voyeurs.

Funny to think that women had the same problems thousands of years ago, isn’t it?

Best wishes ’til next week,

Barry