Susanna and the Elders

Towards the end of the fifteenth century, silver-stained and painted roundels became quite common in the in houses in the Low Countries and Germany (see e.g. in the Diptych of Maarten Nieuwenhove by Hans Memling). Susanna and the Elders comes from the circle of Aert van Ort and it illustrates the opening episode of the Old Testament story in which the beautiful and virtuous Susanna attracts the lustful attention of two elders. This was probably paired with another window or two illustrating the story’s conclusion. Hundreds of roundels survive, suggesting that this form of relatively inexpensive domestic art enjoyed great popularity.