Virgin and Child (above) and Susannah and the Elder (below)
Acquired by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), New York, and installed in his library 1907-1909.
The upper roundel featured in this composition depicts a standing Virgin holding the Christ Child surrounded by rays of light. The interior of the Virgin's cape is sumptuously lined with ermine fur and golden brocade. She holds a gold chalice in her right hand, dually symbolizing the holy communion and the Virgin's fertility.The lower roundel depicts Susannah and the Elders, based on a composition by Netherlandish artist Pseudo-Ortkens. In this story from the Book of Daniel, Susannah is spied on by two elders as she prepares to bathe in a fountain. When she rejects the sexual advances of the elders, they threaten to accuse Susannah of adultery. This scene shows Susannah is accosted by the Elders, her arms raised in fright. Compared to a similar example at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (1990.119.1), the Morgan's version does not depict a servant running to Susannah's aid, but instead focuses on the three central figures.