RICHARD L. MINNS
artist                                                                                                                                                                                                 return
Samson And Delilah (Fatal Haircut)
Bronze, edition of 9, 60 x 76 x 51 cm

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Classic potash rich brown patination on Samson and Delilah.
Rich dark brown and green patination on pillows, covers and bed mat.
60 cm high x 76 cm long x 51 cm wide (24 in. high x 30 in. long x 20 in. wide)

BIBLICAL SCRIPTURE:
“… Samson told Delilah everything:  ‘No razor has ever been used on my head because I have been a Nazirit set apart to G-d since birth.  If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as any other man!”

“… Having put Samson to sleep on her lap, Delilah cut off his hair and his strength left him”

Paraphrased, JUDGES 17 - 19

DESCRIPTION OF SCULPTURE:
This sculpture is Richard’s tribute to Peter Paul Rubens’ masterpiece “Samson and Delilah”, but many colleagues feel that Richard’s three-dimensional interpretation has exceeded Rubens’ masterpiece.

Many art critics who follow Richard Minns’ work feel that this is his best work, created now at the height of his artistic powers.

The entire famous Biblical story is told at a glance:  Samson, the strongest man in the Biblical world is sound asleep, his head on Delilah’s lap. The large wine cup which has dropped from Samson’s mighty outstretched hand, spilling its last drops on the sleeping mat, tells us why Delilah knows her lover will sleep for a long while. Delilah holds Samson’s hair in her left hand, her knife in her right hand, while she begins cutting off his hair and with it Samson’s great strength.  At a glance, the story is told and the prophesy of Samson’s fate is fulfilled.

Richards mastery of human anatomy, combined with his unique surface modelling, creates a powerful Samson with all muscles wonderfully defined, now relaxed, symbolizing his approaching weakness as his body seems to melt into Delilah’s body. Delilah is haughty, triumphant, part of the scene, but still erect and distant, almost regal, as she looks down on her victim with a Mona Lisa smile on her slightly curled lips. Samson reflects the epitome of masculine physical excellence. Delilah reflects the epitome of feminine beauty, with small firm breasts, flowing back and hips with two beauty dimples accentuating her pelvic curves.

Sensual, sexual, sensitive and passionate, every inch of the bronze comes alive under the light to convey the total spectrum of human emotion. Richard has created his own sculptural language: realistic and physical, with anatomical perfection, highly charged with emotion and movement, conveying sexuality in the way of Michelangelo, Rodin and Bourdelle.

ARTIST’S INTERPRETATION:
“This is my tribute to Rubens’ masterpiece ‘Samson and Delilah’. Peter Paul Rubens has always been an inspiration to me. Although he was born with remarkable talents, his greatness as a painter was attained through meticulous and methodical copying of the Old Masters. I did not copy Rubens.  Instead, although I was inspired by his painting, I took it forward with my own original interpretation, and made the interpretation my own.”

“In Rubens’ painting, Samson’s powerful outstretched arm with his strong hand which once had killed a thousand Philistines with the ‘Jaw Bone of an Ass’, is now limp and helpless. But much was missing. For example, the overturned wine cup with its drugged contents which reduced the strongest man in Biblical history to this helpless state.”

“In Rubens’ painting, the focal point is Samson’s profile and his huge muscular outstretched arm. My sculpture has many focal points and is actually a pause in the middle of many actions occurring simultaneously:  Samson’s sleeping profile in Delilah’s lap and his huge muscular outstretched arm ... the wine spilling ... Delilah’s right hand holding the knife and her left hand holding up Samson’s hair ... and Delilah in the act of cutting Samson’s hair.  Also I wanted to convey the impression that Samson was melting into Delilah with a submissive sense of tiredness over his whole features and body.

“Three of my most memorable Samson stories since childhood, and possibly yours as well, are (1) Samson Slaying The Lion, and (2) Delilah Cutting Samson’s Hair, and (3) The Blinded Samson, Hair Regrown, Pushing Down The Columns Of The Temple.  This is what I call the “Samson Trilogy”.  I have heretofore created sculptures to illustrate “Slaying The Lion” and “Pushing Down The Columns”, but I needed to illustrate “Samson’s Famous Haircut” to complete the Trilogy. Now, at last, my Samson Trilogy is complete.”

“I have created many sculptures and at age 81 I am still going strong. When a sculpture is finished and after patination I study it and I usually find details that I could improve on. Rarely do I not feel on completion that, given more time, I could have done better. But this time I feel, with all due modesty, that I have got it right.”

“I hope you enjoy this half as much as I enjoyed creating it.”

Richard L. Minns

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