Provenance:

Galerie Utermann, Dortmund

Private collection, Stuttgart

Kunsthandel Ketterer, Stuttgart

Private collection

Collection Walter Bareiss, New York

Museum of Modern Art (gifted by W. Bareiss)

Private collection, South America

„Composition II Susanna im Bade“ by August Macke from 1911 shows a modern interpretation of the biblical story from the book of Daniel, chapter 13 in the Old Testament, in which Susanna, a married and God-fearing woman, is overheard and harassed by two older men in her garden while having a bath. She refuses to give in to their demands and is subsequently falsely accused of adultery by the two men and sentenced to death. Her innocence is revealed at the last minute by the prophet Daniel.

In this interpretation, Macke opted for a technique and palette typical of him: strong, bright colours and a dynamic composition that aims less to depict the figures realistically and more to convey emotion and tension. The exposed Susanna lies helplessly on a cushion, surrounded by dark and opaque silhouettes that suggest the looming presence of the two men. The fragmented, almost dreamlike landscape in the background emphasises the atmosphere of threat and drama. In contrast, August Macke has placed a young man with curly hair in the lower right- corner of the sheet, who appears to be looking at Susanna in contemplation. Like Susanna, he is depicted without clothing, in the absolute purity of God.

These stylised, simplified depictions draw attention to the scene’s symbolic content and the story’s psychological dimension. Macke’s work skillfully integrates the traditional biblical theme into a modern, artistically free, and subjective context. The artist universalises the story and thus reflects on fundamental themes such as power, guilt, and integrity.

The aquarelle not only reflects Macke’s artistic exploration of the Bible story, but also his move towards a new form of visual storytelling that breaks away from traditional narrative structures. „Composition II Susanna im Bade“ is an example of Expressionist interpretation with ageless, even religious themes that are transformed and objectified in the confrontation.