BAROQUE ART

SAMSON AND DELILAH 

Artist Name : Peter Paul Rubens

Artwork Name : Samson and Delilah 

Location : National Gallery London

The Figure Show , Samson, the Jewish hero, fell in love with Delilah. She was bribed by the Philistines, and discovered that his strength came from his hair which had never been cut. While he was asleep it was cut, Samson was drained of his strength and the Philistines were able to capture him  Rubens depicts a candlelit interior; the Philistines wait at the door, one of their number cuts Samson's hair, while an elderly woman provides extra light. In a niche behind is a statue of the goddess of love, Venus, with Cupid - a reference to the cause of Samson's fate.

This painting was commissioned by Nicolaas Rockox, alderman of Antwerp, for his town house in 1609-10. It shows the influence of the antique, as well as Michelangelo and Caravaggio. There is a preparatory drawing (private collection, Amsterdam) and a modello (Cincinnati Museum of Art).

Samson and Delilah Analysis

Composition:

• This painting takes on a sort of zig- zag composition in which the image is much deeper than the flat canvas it is painted on. The foremost subject is Samson and his cutter.The largest aspect being Samson's feet, the eye then travels up to the hushing Delilah who is still on the slanted first plane. 

Colour palette:

• This work shows van Dyck's ability to define texture and create the correct colour schemes that not only add depth but also texture and movement as realistically as possible. His use of colour in this work is so great that the viewer can almost feel the luscious fabrics in this scene.The color schemes are divided into two, as the entire left side of the canvas is immersed in darkness and shadow and Delilah is bathed in light. 

• This technique also defines the rich texture in comparison to the cold, hard marble floor on which he lies. Dark brown and grey dominate the left side, creating a foreboding atmosphere full of anticipation and fear and reflective of Samson's fate. 

The painting show   chambermaids and the Philistine cutting the hair have various reds to define their skin textures, showing a level of hardship upon these subjects. The reds show various physical stresses upon the bodies such as the hand about to cut the hair.

References 

The Arthby . Blake, Robin. Anthony Van Dyck: A Life,  Samsoo and Delilah .1599-1641. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2000. https://www.artble.com › Anthony van Dyck.

Samson and Delilah Revisited: The Politics of Women's Fashion in 1920s France Mary Louise Roberts.The American Historical Review , Vol. 98, No. 3 (Jun., 1993), pp. 657-68.

Christopher Brown, Rubens’ Samson and Delilah, London: National Gallery, 1983. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson_and_Delilah_(Rubens).