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Moses Myers House

The home of the first permanent Jewish residents of Norfolk, this historic house offers a glimpse of the life of a wealthy early 19th-century merchant family.
More about the house

Jean Outland Chrysler Library

With an extensive collection of more than 106,000 rare and unique volumes relating to the history of art, the Jean Outland Chrysler Library is one of the most significant art libraries in the South. More about the Library

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Historic Houses

Located on Freemason St. —

Open Saturday and Sunday

Noon–5 p.m.

Jean Outland Chrysler Library

By Appointment

Tuesday-Thursday

10:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

Moses Myers House

The oldest Jewish home in America open to the public as a museum offers a glimpse of the life of an early 19th century merchant family.
More about the house

About the Library

With an extensive collection of more than 106,000 rare and unique volumes relating to the history of art, the Jean Outland Chrysler Art Library is one of the most significant art libraries in the South. More about the library

Willoughby-Baylor House

Completed in 1794, this former home now presents a mix of art and artifacts. See what's on view

Located in Norfolk

One Memorial Place,
Norfolk, VA
Get Directions

While You're Here

Visit our Museum Shop
and the Wisteria Cafe.

Perry Glass Studio

A state-of-art facility on the Museum’s campus. See a free glassmaking demo Tuesdays–Sunday at noon. Like what you see? Take a class with us! More about the Studio

Moses Myers House

The home of the first permanent Jewish residents of Norfolk, this historic house offers a glimpse of the life of a wealthy early 19th-century merchant family.
More about the house

Jean Outland Chrysler Library

With an extensive collection of more than 106,000 rare and unique volumes relating to the history of art, the Jean Outland Chrysler Library is one of the most significant art libraries in the South. More about the Library

Weddings & Event Rentals

The perfect place for your big day or special event. Get the details

Take a tour

We offer a number of tours on different topics. More about tours

Jean Outland Chrysler Library

Visit one of the most significant art libraries in the South. More about the library

About the Chrysler

Our story spans well over 100 years. See where we began, how we grew, and where we're going. Explore our history

News and Announcements

See what's happening at the Museum, read Chrysler Magazine, and find our Media Center. Read now

Location

745 Duke Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
757-333-6299

Always Free Parking

Get Directions

Third Thursdays

Live art performances monthly.
See the archive

Studio Team

Meet the brilliant minds behind the Studio.
See the team

Studio Assistantship Program

Further your career and join us in Norfolk.
Find out more

The Masterpiece Society

Learn about this innovative group of museum supporters.
Meet the Masterpiece Society

Planned Giving

Help ensure the long-term success of the Museum.
Learn about planned giving

Collections Menu
Samson Bringing Honey to His Parents

Samson Bringing Honey to His Parents

Artist: Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (Guercino) (Italian, 1591 - 1666)
Date: ca. 1625-26
Medium: Oil on canvas
Dimensions:
Overall: 39 3/4 x 59 in. (101 x 149.9 cm)
Overall, Frame: 52 x 70 3/4 in. (132.1 x 179.7 cm)
Classification: European art
Credit Line: Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., in honor of the Board of Trustees 1977-1985
Object number: 71.521
Terms
  • Religion
  • Old Testament
  • Lion
  • Samson
  • Bees
  • Blue
  • White
  • Brown
  • Black
  • Yellow
  • Red
  • Baroque
  • Cento, Italy
On view
DescriptionThis is an oil on canvas depicting Samson, on the right of the canvas, handing his parents a block of honey. The canvas is divided vertically into two halves. The left side shows Samson's parents standing in front of a brown stone building. They are seen from the waist up in seventeenth century costume. On the right side is Samson, almost silhouetted as his face is in the shadows and behind him is a light blue sky with clouds. There is specific light on the parents' faces, but Samson is deliberately eclipsed. He has brown wavy shoulder length hair. All three figures are focused on the honeycomb in Samson's right hand as he places in his father's hands. Less noticeable is the honeycomb still remaining in Samson's left hand; the central focus is left foreground, which shows three hands and a honeycomb.;

Exhibition History"Paintings from the Collection of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.," Portland Art Museum, Oregon; Seattle Art Museum; California Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Minneapolis Art Institute; St. Louis City Art Museum; William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art, Kansas City; Detroit Institute of Arts; and Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, March 2, 1956 - April 14, 1957.
"Chrysler Art Museum of Provincetown Inaugural Exhibition," Provincetown, Massachusetts,1958.
"Bolognese Baroque Painters," Finch College Museum of Art, New York City, 1962.
"1550-1650, A Century of Masters from the Collection of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.," Fort Worth Art Center, Philbrook Art Center, Tulsa, and University of Texas, Austin, Sept. 7, 1962 - March 31, 1963.
"Italian Renaissance and Baroque Paintings from the Collection of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.," Norfolk Museum of Arts and Sciences, Dec. 2, 1967 - May 15, 1968.
"Il Guercino," Bologna, 1968.
"Treasures from the Chrysler Museum at Norfolk and Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.," Tennessee Fine Arts Center at Cheekwood, Nashville, June 12 - Sept. 5, 1977.
"Veronese to Franz Kline: Masterworks from the Chrysler Museum at Norfolk," for the benefit of The Chrysler Museum Art Reference Library, Wildenstein & Co., New York, N. Y., April 13 - May 13, 1978. (Exh. cat. no. 3).
"Giovanni Francesco Barbieri: Il Guercino, 1591-1666", Museo Civico Archeologico, Bologna, Italy, September 6 - November 19, 1991; Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt, Germany, December 3, 1991 - February 9, 1992; National Galelry of Art, Washington, D.C., March 15 - May 17, 1992.
"Guercino," Timken Museum of Art, San Diego, CA, October 13, 2006 - January 7, 2007.

Label textGiovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Guercino
Italian, 1591–1666
Samson Bringing Honey to His Parents, ca. 1625–26
Oil on canvas

Made strong by God, Samson has killed a lion with his bare hands (an event depicted in tiny figures at the lower center). Returning later, he discovered that bees had filled the lion’s carcass with honey. Here, Samson offers honeycombs to his parents.
The story demonstrates God’s power and ability to work through chosen mortals. It also shows the growing importance of artistic patrons. The three bees hovering near the stone wall at the top of the canvas reference the coat of arms of the powerful Barberini family who commissioned the work for their Roman palace.

Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., in honor of the Board of Trustees, 1977–1985 71.521


Published References Bertina S. Manning. _Paintings from the Collection of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.: An Exhibition Organized by the Portland Art Museum, Oregon_. Portland: Portland Art Association. 1956. No. 34. Bertina S. Manning. _Chrysler Art Museum of Provincetown Inaugural Exhibition_. Provincetown, Massachusetts: Chrysler Art Museum of Provincetown. 07/1958: plate 27; . 16-17, 67. Exhibition catalog. _1550-1650, A Century of Masters from the Collection of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr._. Fort Worth: Fort Worth Art Center. 1962. No. 14. Robert L. Manning. _Italian Renaissance and Baroque Paintings from the Collection of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr._. Norfolk: Norfolk Museum of Arts and Science. 1967. No. 27. _Il Guercino_, exhibition catalog, Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio, Bologna, 1968, no. 59. Eric M. Zafran and Mario Amaya. _Treasures from the Chrysler Museum at Norfolk and Walter P. Chrysler, Jr._, exhibiton catalogue, Tennessee Fine Arts Center at Cheekwood, Nashville, 1977. Eric M. Zafran and Mario Amaya. _Veronese to Franz Kline: Masterworks from the Chrysler Museum at Norfolk_. Norfolk, VA: The Chrysler Museum. 1978. No. 3, 15-16, 40. Denys Sutton. "Aspects of British Collecting, Part II: From Rome to Naples," _Apollo_. 12/1982: Fig. 24, 418. Jefferson C. Harrison. _The Chrysler Museum Handbook of the European and American Collections: Selected Paintings, Sculpture and Drawings_. Norfolk, VA: The Chrysler Museum, 1991, No. 22, 30; Color ill. 30. Sandra Costa, "Un peintre pour la France, Le Guerchin." _L'Objet d'Art, l'Estampille_. No. 251 (October 1991), color ill., 46-47. Michael Helston and Tom Henry. _Guercino in Britain: Paintings from British Collections_. London: National Gallery Publications Litmited and The Burlington Magazine Publications Ltd., 1991, 5-6; Fig. 3, 6 (b/w). Sir Denis Mahon, et al. _Giovanni Francesco Barbieri: Il Guercino, 1591-1666_. Bologna: Nuova Alfa Editoriale, 1991, Cat. No. 65, 186-7; Color ill. 187. Sybille Ebert-Schifferer, e al. _Giovanni Francesco Barbieri: Il Guercino, 1591-1666_. Bologna and Frankfurt: Nuova Alfa Editoriale and Schirn Kunsthalle, 1991), Cat. No. 38, 230-231; Color ill. 231. _Il Guercino (1591-1666)_, exhibition catalog, Pinocoteca Nazionale, Bologna; Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt; and National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1991-1992. Sir Denis Mahon, et al. _Guercino: Master Painter of the Baroque_. Washington, D.C.:National Gallery of Art, 1992, No. 30, 242-243; Color ill. 243. Shilpa Prasad, _Guercino_ , exh. cat., Timken Museum of Art, San Diego, CA., 2006, 25 plate 4, 26, 28 & 49. ISBN: 0-295-98673-5 Jeff Harrison, _Collecting with Vision: Treasures From the Chrysler Museum of Art_ (London: D. Giles Ltd., 2007), 27, fig. 18. ISBN: 978-0-940744-72-1
Provenance The Barberini family, Rome; Taddeo Barberini by 1648; Antonio Barberini by 1670; Principe don Maffeo Barberini; Principe Don Urbano Barberini by 1686; Francis, Marquess of Tavistock, London by 1764; The Dukes of Bedford, Woburn Abbey, 1767-1951; Walter P. Chrysler, Jr.; Chrysler Museum, 1971.
Catalogue EntryGiovanni Francesco Barbieri, called Guercino
Italian, 1591-1666
Samson Bringing Honey to His Parents, ca. 1625-26
Oil on canvas, 39¾" x 59" (101 x 149.9cm)
Gift of Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., in Honor of the Board of Trustees 1977-1985, 71.521

References: _Il Guercino_, exhibition catalog, Palazzo dell'Archiginnasio, Bologna, 1968, no. 59; Zafran, _CM_, 1977, no. 8; _Il Guercino (1591-1666)_, exhibition catalog, Pinocoteca Nazionale, Bologna; Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt; and National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 1991-1992.

Nicknamed "Il Guercino" because of his squint-eyed expression, Giovanni Francesco Barbieri developed a vital, dramatically lighted Baroque style during his early years in Bologna, where the art of Ludovico Carracci impressed him greatly (see also no. 23). In 1621 he went to Rome at the behest of Pope Gregory XV. There he painted his famous _Aurora_ fresco on the ceiling of the Casion Ludovisi; the work was a precocious foretaste of virtuoso High Baroque illusionism and Guercino's fullest expression of Baroque painterly flash. Upon Gregory's death in 1623, the artist returned to his native village of Cento. There, and after 1642 in Bologna, he gradually retreated from his exuberant Baroque manner and moved toward a restrained late style inspired by Guido Reni (no. 18).
A major decorator who completed his share of monumental altarpieces and mural programs, Guercino also throughout his career produced more modest-sized canvases of half-length design. A prime example of these dramatically compressive compositions is _Samson Bringing Honey to His Parents_. The style of the undated painting and its quiescent tone suggest that it was made in Cento around 1625-26. By then the artist had begun the transition to a more decorous and reserved manner, though he had not yet abandoned the smoldering colors and velvety, form-dissolving _chiaroscuro_ of his early art.
As related in the book of Judges (14:5-9), the Old Testament hero Samson killed a lion with his bare hands, an event that takes place in the painting's background (below Samson's left hand). Discovering later that bees had filled the lion's carcass with honey, Samson returned home with some of it as an offering to his parents. While appropriate to the story, the trio of bees at the upper edge of the canvas also cleverly alludes to the painting's commissioners, the Barberini family, whose coat of arms featured three bees.
With the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini as Pope Urban VIII in 1623, the Barberini became Rome's leading arts patrons. Soon after, a member of this illustrious family - possibly Urban VIII himself - ordered The Chrysler Museum painting from Guercino. The picture must have been well liked, for a copy (without the three bees) was produced by one of Guercino's assistants. That work was included in the Borghese collection by 1650 and hangs today in the Gallery Borghese, Rome.
The Chrysler painting remained in the Barberini's possession until 1764, when Francis, Marquess of Tavistock purchased it for his Bloomsbury residence in London. From him it passed into the collection of the dukes of Bedford at Woburn Abbey.

American Collections: Selected Paintings, Sculpture and Drawings_. Norfolk, VA: The Chrysler Museum, 1991, No. 22, 30; Color ill. 30.