Love or Betrayal? : Rubens and Van Dyck Paint Samson and Delilah

Intriguing online lecture from the National Gallery comparing Rubens’ and Van Dyck’s images of Samson and Delilah.

Carlo Casato talked us through both pictures, the Rubens from the National Gallery and the Van Dyck from Vienna. He talked us through the Bible story in some detail.

He explained that the Rubens picture was painted for Nicolaas II Rockox and how it is shown in a painting of his house from around 1630 so we know how it was hung. He also talked us through the references to classical sculptures that Rubens had seen in Rome.

He then compared the two works explaining how Rubens depicted the moment when Samson’s hair is cut whereas Van Dyck picks the moment after this when Samson’s strength has gone and how this is shown in the pictures.

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