The Blinded Samson

Lovis Corinth. The Blinded Samson, 1912.

From wikipedia: “In many of his self-portraits he assumed guises such as an armored knight (The Victor, 1910), or Samson (The Blinded Samson, 1912)…In December 1911, he suffered a stroke, and was partially paralyzed on his left side. Thereafter he walked with a limp, and his hands displayed a chronic tremor.”

This painting was painful to draw, Lovis was only able to paint this with the assistance of his wife. Great is the fall from a mighty knight with no impairments to a hairless Samson within a year. Life changes within a moment and our greatness is shown to be foolishness.

We are nothing. We control nothing.