We're off to the National Gallery to show Clementine the disputed Samson and Delila. Recently, a work was attributed to Rubens and sold for a huge pile of cash. Ever since then, the experts have been haggling about the attribution. Personally, I think The Massacre of the Innocents looks nothing like Rubens - some of the compositional aspects (the figures at the rear-left-hand-side) don't look too well worked out. Rubens made extensive oil sketches before finalising a large work, I don't see any sign of that experimentation or research. Another giveaway (tho I've never had anyone agree with me on this one...) is that PPR couldn't paint breasts. His women look like men with two oranges pasted on their front. Now, at the time, the life-models were all men, it's just that most artists of the time could interpret the different body. Hell, most of PPR's women have adam's apples;-)
Anyway, I've always thought the Samson looks like a 'real' Rubens, and what a nice way to spend an afternoon:-)
