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RICHARD L. MINNS
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Samson's Final Moment
Large Bronze
Bronze, 140 high x 90 x 56 cm (Base 80 x 56 cm), 2002
55.5 high x 35.5 x 22 inches (Base 31.5 x 22 inches)

 

 

 

 

Biblical Scripture:
 “Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof were about three thousand men and women watching Samson perform. Then Samson prayed to the LORD, ‘O Sovereign LORD, remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes. Then Samson reached towards the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, ‘Let me die with the Philistines! Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived.”

JUDGES 16:27-30

Description of Sculpture:
 This is truly a 3-dimensional sculpture and must be viewed with 360-degree careful scrutiny. If you give it only a quick glance, you will surely miss the experience. But if you stop, look carefully, walk around the sculpture, and watch it change as you see it from different angles, you will make some astonishing discoveries. If a viewer first encounters the sculpture up close, the natural reaction is to step back to avoid the falling columns. It is preferable to first view the sculpture from a distance, take in the silhouette, and then walk up to it.

While it is preferable to display the sculpture where a viewer can easily walk around it, Richard has installed a turntable completely hidden inside the bronze base, so even if the sculpture is in the corner of a room, it can easily be turned 360-degrees with one finger.

At first glance from a distance, the viewer witnesses an architectural triumph. The architectural construction first hits your eye. By utilizing a special bronze technique, the columns appear to be actually falling and, if it were not for bronze welding, the columns would indeed be falling. First, Richard utilized metal cylinders and welded them together. Then they were polished, given the surface of ancient stone columns, and a mold was made of this complicated structure so that it is now offered as one single unit.

Richard's Samson is the embodiment of physical force, portraying the Bible's strongest man in the world. Samson is leaning into the columns, his left foot behind him, harnessing all the strength and force in his body against the columns. His right foot presses against the column which has already broken away from the floor. Samson's mighty shoulders and arms force the columns apart.

As you turn the sculpture around on its turntable you will note that, from Samson s toes to his fingers, from his calves to his thick legs, powerful buttocks and explosive back, every muscle in his magnificent body is in play, exerting his superhuman life force against the columns.

Samson comes alive before your eyes. This is a sculpture with maximum movement and compelling emotion. It is also believable. Samson rushes into the columns like a pro-football linebacker and the columns are falling. Step back. The columns may fall on you.

Artist's Interpretation:
 “Samson is the Hercules of the Bible. He was not known for his wisdom or his prophecies. He was known as the Bible's strongest man, for his weakness for the wrong women, and for his legendary feats of strength. Unlike David, who has been compared to Apollo, who was known for his physical excellence and beauty, I see Samson as a basic Neanderthal force. Therefore, I have emphasized Samson's upper body, his hands and his feet. This is more of a caricature instead of the da Vinci-devised proportions of 8˝ heads to the body. I wanted to capture the pathos on the face of a warrior blinded and humiliated by his enemies, reflecting the anger, suffering and resolve of his tortured soul.”

Richard Minns
                               artist                                  return

                               E-mail: info@hayhillgallery.com