Painting in Context: Rubens, Samson and Delilah
- Each presentation starts with the basic information on the painting such as its location in a museum or a gallery, the map of the location of the scene if applicable, and other pertinent details such as the history of the painting and the story depicted by the painter.
- Next, you find slides describing the painting technique of the artist and, if applicable, information on the scientific investigation of the artwork.
- The majority of the slides shows a detailed pigment analysis of the painting containing detailed views of different areas of the artwork and the pigments employed by the painter.
The biblical story of love and deceit was the inspiration for this Baroque painting by Peter Paul Rubens.
Rubens employed a very seldom and particular technique for painting the violet drapery. Instead of using the usual mixture of a red and a blue pigment, he painted the cloth using a black pigment (charcoal) and a red pigment (red lake).
Rubens employed a very seldom and particular technique for painting the violet drapery. Instead of using the usual mixture of a red and a blue pigment, he painted the cloth using a black pigment (charcoal) and a red pigment (red lake).
The red robe of Delilah is one of the best examples of the mastery of the Baroque painters in painting rich textiles.
