The Capture of Samson
1610
oil
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
1610
oil
From the collection of Art Institute of Chicago
You see a muscular man twisting on the ground, soldiers pinning him down while a woman watches. His long hair is gone—she just cut it. This is Samson, betrayed by Delilah. Rubens painted it as a quick sketch for a bigger work. The way Samson’s body twists comes from old Roman statues Rubens studied in Italy. The dark and light areas make the scene feel dramatic, even in a small panel. Look up *chiaroscuro* to see how artists use light and shadow like this.
