Final answer:
Artemisia Gentileschi's portrayal of Susanna in 'Susanna and the Elders' challenges traditional depictions by presenting her with realistic, unflattering physical details, and overt fear, subverting the notion of her being 'tempting' and instead highlighting her as a victim.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Susanna and the Elders, painted in 1610 by Artemisia Gentileschi at the young age of sixteen, Susanna is portrayed in a manner that deviates from the traditional classical myth renditions of the time. Unlike the elaborate settings and tempting portrayal by other male painters, Gentileschi depicts Susanna with unflattering details of a woman's body, which include a pendant breast, groin wrinkle, crow's foot wrinkles on her neck and at the top of her right arm, and awkwardly positioned legs. In this stark scene, with only the blue sky and bench as background, Susanna appears to be an unwilling participant, her fear evident as she tries to escape the leering gaze of her would-be assaulters. The visceral emotions captured in the painting reflect a raw and genuine portrayal of Susanna as a victim and not as a temptress, thereby challenging the viewer's perspective of the narrative.