Samson Captured by the Philistines
| Support Type: | Canvas |
| Paint Type: | Oil Paint |
| Current Location: | The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, United States. |
| Location History: | The painting was commissioned by Jacopo Serra, Cardinal Legate of Ferrara, in 1619 and remained with him until his death in 1623. It then passed to the Serra family, first in Ferrara and possibly later in Naples, where it remained until around 1920. It was subsequently acquired by Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Bey (Maria Teresa Serra) Sursock and kept at Palais Sursock in Beirut. By 1969–79, it belonged to their daughter, Yvonne Lady Cochrane, who sold it through Leggatt Brothers, London, to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wrightsman of New York in 1979. |
Samson Captured by the Philistines is an outstanding oil painting by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, popularly known as Guercino; active during the seventeenth century's Baroque movement. This scene depicts the biblical tale of Samson - an Israeli judge who was blessed with supernatural strength due to his devotion to god and his uncut hair - the source of his might. He fell in love with a lady - Delilah, who when bribed by the Philistine leaders, constantly pressed at Samson to reveal the secret of his strength. The despicable woman cut Samson's locks while he was sleeping in her lap, thus rendering him powerless. Then began the struggle between Samson and the enemies. The Philistines overpowered Samson, capturing him easily and proceeded to gouge out his eyes and took him as a prisoner. Guercino has presented this biblical episode with an excellent sense of dramaticism and and elaborate complexity popular during the Baroque movement. Within this composition, we are presented a view of Samson's strong back struggling to get free from the many hands of the Philistines trying to harm him. He is being pushed and held down by five men as Delilah is seen tussling with a blanket wrapped around his waist. In the left corner we see another woman watching over the scene. This theatrical scuffle is presented with a dramatic twisting of the limbs, overcrowding, and a skillful foreshortening of the figures. Samson's face is turned away from the audience hinting at his blindness and helplessness. The painting techniques used in this piece include - chiaroscuro, impasto, and a luminous color palette. These were deliberate artistic choices made to enhance the shadows, texture, and to highlight the earthy tones set against the dark background. Guercino with this painting has successfully demonstrated his prowess at color, subject handling, and story-telling.