Simsons Rache an den Philistern

Samson, the Israelite strongman of the Book of Judges, was betrayed by Delilah, blinded by the Philistines and put to work in chains. At a festival for their god Dagon in the temple at Gaza, they brought him out to be mocked. Samson set his hands against the two middle pillars that held up the building and pushed, and the temple fell on everyone inside, himself included. The Bible says he killed more people in his death than in his life. Tintoretto painted the moment the columns give way around 1543 or 1544, in his mid-twenties.