Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Carved from a single block of marble, the statue shows the testy Israelite warrior rearing
back, brandishing the jawbone of an ass, preparing to decapitate a man who'd insulted
him. Samson pauses to make sure the Philistine looks him in the eye so he can see what's
coming. Circle the statue and watch it spiral around its axis. Giambologna was clearly
influenced by Michelangelo, who pioneered both the theme of the fallen enemy and the
spiral-shaped pose that many artists imitated. The V&A has (arguably) the best collection
of Italian Renaissance sculpture outside Italy.
• From the Grand Entrance lobby (near the main doorway), find the entrance to the rooms
labeled
Medieval & Renaissance, 300-1500.
It's down a few steps, on level 0 (Rooms
8-10).
Walk through 1,200 years of decorative arts, seeing how the mix of pagan-Roman and
medieval-Christian elements created modern Europe.
