Christ & the Adulteress

This subject has been a popular citation throughout the Western history of art, especially from the Renaissance onwards. Whilst Christ and the Woman Taken in Adultery by Pieter Bruegel is the most famous example, Souza here explicitly references Titian's, Chirst and the Adulteress of 1508. The choice of Titian is a perpetual one because, "As far as Souza was concerned, it seems that it was Titian who was the greatest Old Master". (Aziz Kurtha, Francis Newton Souza: Bridging Western and Indian Modern Art, Usmanpura, 2006, p.47) Souza's reverence for the Venetian Master encouraged him to replicate the compositions of his most iconic works.

The parable in the Bible, to which Souza and Titian's work refer, describes an adulteress brought before Christ by her accusers who insist on judgment. It is from Christ's retort in this parable that the expression "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" originates. Souza's current version can therefore be interpreted as an exploration of the relationship between sinner and saint. Unlike Titian's angelic rendering, Souza's adulteress is revealed to be immodest, in a state of undress. However her accusers have become cruder still, presented as almost ephemeral demonic apparitions. Only Christ in the center with welcoming arms of forgiveness appears without sin, tranquil amidst a sea of unrest.