The Blinded Samson 1912

Lovis Corinth painted "The Blinded Samson" with oil on canvas. We are confronted with a visceral depiction of human suffering. The painting is dominated by the figure of Samson, his raw physicality emphasized by Corinth's bold, gestural brushstrokes and the stark, unflinching use of light and shadow. The composition is structured around the contrast between the muted tones of Samson's flesh and the cold, metallic grays of the chains that bind him. This formal opposition embodies the tragic narrative of strength reduced to helplessness. The stark realism challenges traditional heroic portrayals, presenting instead a figure stripped bare of his power, both physically and symbolically. Corinth's emphasis on materiality and the materiality of paint itself serves to underscore the brutal reality of Samson's plight. The crude application of pigment and visible brushwork deny any idealization, forcing us to confront the unsettling spectacle of human degradation. This convergence of form and content invites us to reflect on themes of power, vulnerability, and the human condition.