n, in which the church attempted to bring back followers lost during the Protestant Reformation. By the time Guercino did this work, the Catholic Church was stable again. This strong sense of power can be seen clearly in Sampson Captured by the Philistines.Guercino, whose real name was Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, successfully encompassed the spirit of Baroque art in his rendition of this story from the Bible. The painting, which is of enormous size, depicts the moment when Sampson has been tricked by Delilah and is being overtaken by Philistines. Several aspects of art typically associated with the Baroque can be seen in this single painting. For instance, unlike Holbein's portrait, chiaroscuro is employed to make the scene more dramatic and tense. The light is coming from the left side of the painting, in the space from which the viewer is looking, and focuses the viewer's attention on Sampson's back. This creates a more three-dimensional effect, which is accented even more by foreshortening of figures and especially of Sampson's foot. The lines of the painting are not crisp and clear, as Holbein's were, but more painterly, with the paint seemingly applied thickly and with speed instead of preciseness and accuracy. A good point of comparison between this painting and Holbein's is the rope that one of the Philistines is holding. While Holbein's rope in the background was painted with precise lines and definition between each thread, Guercino's rope is quite unfocused. Although, close up, it is void of detail, from a distance the viewer can plainly see that it is a rope. These painterly lines are seen through the entire piece with the exception of the armor that one Philistine is wearing. This suit of armor is drawn with much accuracy and illusionism. Each of the bands and bolts holding the armor together is drawn with exactness. The way the light reflects off of the armor gives it a metallic shine, making it look real enough to touch. ...
