Kimbell Art Museum Acquires Rare 1624 Bronze by Stefano Maderno

The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, has announced the acquisition of a significant 1624 bronze sculpture, Samson and Two Philistines, by the Italian artist Stefano Maderno (c. 1571–1636). This work marks the first seventeenth-century bronze to enter the museum's collection and is now on view in the Louis I. Kahn Building. The sculpture, standing just over two feet tall, depicts a dramatic scene from the Old Testament: Samson, endowed with superhuman strength, raises the jawbone of a donkey to strike an enemy Philistine, while another lies motionless at his feet. The composition, a knotted tangle of three nude male figures, is celebrated for its dynamic three-dimensionality, unfolding as viewers move around it. The acquisition underscores the Kimbell's commitment to expanding its holdings of Baroque sculpture, and the piece is considered a tour de force in both composition and bronze casting. The museum's announcement highlights the sculpture's biblical reference to Judges 15:16, where Samson declares, "With the jawbone of a donkey, heaps upon heaps." The work is a notable addition to the Kimbell's collection, which is housed in the iconic building designed by Louis Kahn.