The Bathing Women of the Old Testament An Iconographical Research into the Medieval Imagery of Susanna and Bathsheba

Something we have known since the beginning of mankind is the act of bathing. It is used to clean not only the body, but also the soul. Water has a high ritual function, especially within Christianity. The two main bathing women of the Old Testament are Susanna and Bathsheba. Whereas for some the act of bathing is a small part of their story, for Susanna and Bathsheba it is the most important event of their narratives.

These women have been the topic of many discussions within the theological and art. historical field. Susanna, seen as the perfect example of a pious woman, has been praised during the entire period of the Middle ages, while Bathsheba has often been characterised as seductive, or possibly sexual. However, when looking at the way the two women are depicted in the late Middle Ages, we see both ladies illustrated in almost the exact same manner. Why would two women who are interpreted so differently, be portrayed the same way?