Artwork
Simson und Delila
Simson und Delila is an unspecified painting by the High Baroque Italian artist Carlo Cignani. It dates from 1673 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Carlo Cignani's 1673 painting Simson und Delila belongs to the genre of religious art and visually narrates the biblical story of Samson and Delilah.
Carlo Cignani's 1673 painting Simson und Delila belongs to the genre of religious art and visually narrates the biblical story of Samson and Delilah. The work's main subject is the interaction between these two figures, depicting the moment of betrayal central to their narrative. As a religious composition, the piece serves to illustrate the moral and dramatic themes inherent in the scriptural account of Samson's downfall. The artwork is currently held within the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, measuring 128.7 cm in height and 161 cm in width. It depicts the biblical scene of Samson and Delilah and belongs to the religious genre. The painting is part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections and has been housed in the Alte Pinakothek since its creation in 1673.
History & Provenance
Carlo Cignani created the religious painting Simson und Delila in 1673. The work depicts the biblical figures Samson and Delilah. It is currently held by the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek.
Specific details regarding the original commission or the full ownership chain prior to its current location are not provided in the available records.
Carlo Cignani's painting Simson und Delila, created in 1673, is held by the Bavarian State Painting Collections. The work is currently located at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. It is cataloged within the institution's collection as a religious artwork depicting the biblical figures Samson and Delilah.
The provided sources do not contain specific inventory or accession numbers for this piece, nor do they list any exhibition history.
Overview
Carlo Cignani’s 1673 oil painting Simson und Delila presents a quiet, intimate moment drawn from the biblical story of Samson and Delilah. Executed during the High Baroque, the work resides in Munich’s Alte Pinakothek. The composition centers on a partially clothed woman seated on a reclining male figure, her gaze directed outward while she holds a pair of scissors, suggesting the pivotal act of betrayal.
Context
Cignani’s career unfolded amid the transition from the exuberant dynamism of early Baroque to a more contemplative aesthetic. In Simson und Delila, the artist’s preference for intimate, emotionally nuanced moments aligns with a broader shift toward personal piety in religious painting during the late 17th century.
Artist & collection
Artist
Carlo Cignani (Italian pronunciation:; 15 May 1628 – 8 September 1719) was an Italian painter.
