Masterpieces from the World's Museums in the Hermitage.
Rembrandt, The Blinding of Sampson, from the Stadelsches Kunstinstitut, Frankfurt-am-Main

On 10 August 2004 an exhibition opened in the Hall N 251 of the New Hermitage dedicated to a famous masterpiece by Rembrandt, The Blinding of Sampson, on loan from the Stadelsches Kunstinstitut. The showing takes place within the context of a program called Masterpieces from the World's Museums in the Hermitage. The Stadelsches Kunstinstitut, located in Frankfurt-am-Main, has made the painting available in return for the loan in 2003 by the Hermitage of its Flora by Rembrandt for exhibition in Frankfurt.

The story of Sampson and Delilah was used as the basis for numerous paintings. Granted unparalleled strength by God, it was Sampson's mission to put an end to the rule of the Philistines over the people of Israel. However, the hero's love for the Philistine woman Delilah led to his demise. She got him to reveal the secret of his great strength, which lay in his hair. In the night when he slept, Delilah cut Sampson's hair and then let in the Philistines. They blinded him and led him away in chains. While in captivity he performed his final feat of strength. His hair had begun to grow back and with it came his miraculous force. Blind, led in chains into the home of his enemies, he brought down the roof of the palace during a feast, dying under the debris alongside the Philistines.

Rembrandt's work presents one of the culminating moments of the legend, the blinding of the hero. The painter faced the problem of conveying strong emotions through persuasive gestures and the movements of the main figures. In the work this high emotion found clear embodiment. Analysis of the canvas indicates that its structure is identical to another of Rembrandt's masterpieces, Danae, which is in the Hermitage.

Among all the innumerable canvases dealing with biblical subjects, Rembrandt's composition may be said to be the greatest work devoted to the story of Sampson's love for Delilah

An illustrated publication has been issued by the State Hermitage Publishing House to mark the exhibition. The curator of the exhibition is Irina Sokolova, senior researcher of the State Hermitage's Department of Western European Art.

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Irina Sokolova, the curator of the exhibition

Director of the State Hermitage Mikhail Piotrovsky at the opening of the exhibition

At the opening of the exhibition