The Defeat of Sisera 1680

Curator: At first glance, I'm struck by the raw energy of this piece—a swirling vortex of figures. Editor: Indeed. This dramatic oil painting is titled "The Defeat of Sisera" by Luca Giordano, dating back to around 1680. It depicts a scene from the Book of Judges. Curator: Ah, Sisera! A narrative brimming with rich symbolism. Sisera, the defeated Canaanite general, is ultimately killed by Jael, a woman who drives a tent peg through his temple as he sleeps. Giordano chooses to represent the initial battle scene here. Editor: You see all that storytelling, and I am seeing the incredible churn of paint—layer upon layer. There's such a focus on movement, on the sheer physical exertion involved. The materiality shouts “Baroque.” It looks as though the artist was actively wrestling with the canvas, a frenetic labor to represent military defeat. Curator: Absolutely, the chaotic composition reflects the battle’s disarray. Notice how the figures above – what seem to be angels or heavenly warriors – participate directly in the battle. Their presence suggests divine intervention, imbuing the Israelite victory with spiritual weight. Editor: Right, spiritual and also economical, literally intervening in material history through physical power. And look at the horses. What a monument to their musculature! This painting is certainly reveling in the artist’s technical command. He’s working hard, and wants us to know it! Curator: And the swirling sky adds another layer. Do you see the figure brandishing a hammer? That's likely God, hammering home the victory, so to speak. This connects to an age-old trope of heavenly endorsement through visual cues. Victory is not just earthly; it's divinely ordained. Editor: I noticed that right away: very literalist! Yet, think of the logistics in Giordano's workshop—preparing the canvas, grinding the pigments, the cost of materials to convey such a monumental scene... Curator: So we can consider this piece as the convergence of material creation with spiritual and cultural expression. An artwork that, in its own way, wages a visual war between these elements. Editor: That's right. An apt image of this tumultuous biblical moment indeed.