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Samson Slaying a Philistine

Samson Slaying a Philistine is a marble sculptural group by Giambologna, made around 1562 for Francis I de’ Medici. Carved from a single block of marble in the artist’s Florentine workshop, it shows Samson in a dynamic struggle with a Philistine in a spiral composition that invites viewing from multiple angles. The work, about 210 cm high, was originally intended for a fountain in Florence and is notable for its dramatic movement, contrapposto, and polished surface. It was later sent to Spain, then given to the future Charles I in 1623, and eventually entered the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 1954 (A.7-1954).

Samson Slaying a Philistine marble sculpture showing two muscular figures in a dramatic struggle, with one raising a weapon over the other.
Samson Slaying a Philistine, a marble sculpture by Giambologna, shows a tense struggle between two muscular figures.
September 2010 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Samson Slaying a Philistine sculpture showing two muscular male figures in a dramatic struggle, with one standing over the other and raising an object to strike.
Samson Slaying a Philistine by Giambologna, showing the dramatic struggle between two muscular figures.
© art_traveller · CC BY-SA 2.0 uk
Samson Slaying a Philistine marble sculpture showing a bearded man standing over a crouching figure with a weapon raised overhead.
Samson Slaying a Philistine by Giambologna, a dramatic marble sculpture of a bearded man poised above a fallen figure.
© · CC BY-SA 3.0
Samson Slaying a Philistine marble sculpture in a museum gallery, with one figure standing over another and raising a club.
Samson Slaying a Philistine, the marble sculpture by Giambologna, displayed in a museum gallery.
July 2015 © Stephen Gidley · CC BY 2.0
Samson Slaying a Philistine marble sculpture of two muscular men locked in a struggle in a museum hall
Samson Slaying a Philistine by Giambologna, shown as a dramatic marble group in a museum hall.
© Alison Bean · Public domain

Identification

TitleSamson Slaying a Philistine
TypeMarble sculptural group
StyleMannerism
Datec. 1562
Original titleSansone che uccide un filisteo

Creator

ArtistGiambologna (1529–1608)
PatronFrancesco I de' Medici

Historical context

Workshop locationGiambologna's workshop in Florence
SubjectSamson fighting and killing a Philistine with the jawbone of a donkey
Biblical sourceJudges 15:14–19 in the Old Testament
Place of creationFlorence
Original intended locationA fountain in Florence, possibly the Villa di Castello or the area in front of the Palazzo Vecchio
Commission contextCommissioned around 1562 for a fountain in Florence

Physical characteristics

Height210 cm
Weight1160 kg
Surface finishSmoothly polished marble surface
Anatomical treatmentDetailed musculature and anatomy

Materials

MaterialMarble, carved from a single block

Technique

CompositionSpiral, all-round composition designed to be viewed from multiple angles
TechniqueUse of contrapposto and figura serpentinata to create three-dimensionality and naturalism

Appearance

Action depictedSamson strikes with the jawbone of a donkey to deliver the fatal blow
Visual effectVery dynamic, with twisting bodies and a strong sense of movement and energy
Depicted figuresSamson dominating a kneeling Philistine
Expression of SamsonAngry, focused, and determined
Expression of the PhilistineIn pain, desperation, fear, and terror

Iconography and meaning

InterpretationA dramatic struggle scene emphasizing Samson's strength and the Philistine's helplessness; also read as a metaphor for political dominance
Symbolic meaningSamson represents righteous power, while the Philistine represents chaos

Location and ownership

Gift to SpainGiven in 1601 by Ferdinando I de' Medici to the Duke of Lerma
Later location in EnglandYork House, London; later Hovingham Hall, Yorkshire
Subsequent ownershipAfter arriving in England, it passed to the Duke of Buckingham and then changed hands three more times
Gift to the Prince of WalesIn 1623, Philip IV of Spain gave it to the Prince of Wales, later Charles I of England, during his visit to Spain for marriage negotiations
ProvenanceSent as a gift to Spain, where it was placed in the gardens of the Palacio de la Ribera in Valladolid
Acquisition year1954
Museum inventory numberA.7-1954
Current locationVictoria and Albert Museum, London

History and restoration

Condition historyExposed to the weather for about three centuries, but the original fineness is still preserved
InscriptionOn the front of Samson's belt is an inscription reading "IO ... BELGAE ...."

Significance

Historical significanceOne of Giambologna's earliest monumental works and first works to gain wide acclaim; considered a major work of Mannerism
ReceptionOften copied, influential in Renaissance and later art, and highly admired in England
InfluenceIts expressiveness influenced later Baroque artists such as Bernini
Uniqueness noteThe only significant work by Giambologna to have left Italy