
Research confirms that Samson and Delilah is a Rubens
Re your report (A £2.5m dud? Fresh doubt cast on authenticity of National Gallery Rubens, 15 June), I'd like to draw readers' attention to the recent publication of detailed art-historical and technical research on the National Gallery's website confirming the attribution of Samson and Delilah to Peter Paul Rubens.
This extensive study, conducted by our curatorial and scientific teams using the latest imaging and analytical techniques, provides compelling evidence in support of the painting's authorship. It offers transparency around our research process and contributes meaningfully to the wider field of art-historical scholarship.
Given the interest and debate this painting has attracted over the years, we hope this publication will be of value to scholars and the public alike.Gabriele FinaldiDirector, the National Gallery
Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Sun
38 minutes ago
- The Sun
Love Island's Harry ‘DISOWNED' by furious mum who says ‘I've never seen him like this'
LOVE Island's Harry has been 'disowned' by his furious mum, who said on Aftersun: 'I've never seen him like this.' On Aftersun, host Maya Jama caught up with Harry's mum, who was quick to say: 'I don't recognise him, who is this child?' 6 6 6 6 She continued: 'He never introduces me to anyone, only the ones that, you know.' Maya interjected: 'That he takes seriously?' to which Harry's mum said 'yes.' She added: 'I do not recognise him. He just says what he wants to say and it just seems to roll off his tongue so easily.' Harry mum the admitted she'd 'disowned him' when asked by Maya if she approves of his villa behavior. 'On more than one occasion I've completely disowned him. Harry who? How can you forget the cameras are on you?' She also admitted to never having watched the show before, saying she didn't even know who Maya Jama was. Harry was getting to know Helena, but Helena was fuming to learn what had happened during a recent challenge, and wasted no time calling it quits with the footballer. Fans of the show reckon that Harry didn't lock lips with Yasmin because he wants to be with the brunette bombshell, but more because he wanted Helena to end their coupling as he has his sights set on Shakira. Speaking on reddit, one show devotee wrote: "Let's be honest, Harry never got over what he thought about Helena's lifestyle. Instead of ending it directly he wanted her to do it because he wanted to save face when he realised she heard what he said. Love Island's Harry breaks down in tears over Helena as he sobs 'she can't even be around me' They continued: "Let me be frank, When a boy thinks that about any girl they are never going to take them seriously. That is why he started messing around with Yasmin while still coupled up with Helena." And the theorist added that they believe he is playing the game to eventually work his way back to Shakira. They said: "Now that Shakira's in the picture, he's made it obvious that she's his priority but she was in the situation with Ben. Yasmin's basically been sidelined, and it's clear she was just a backup plan to keep him in the villa. "If Helena's lifestyle was an issue for him, Yasmin's boldness probably is too, he just hasn't vocalised it. He's playing the long game and was using people to buy time to get onto Shakira or the next bombshell." Love Island 2025 full lineup Harry Cooksley: A 30-year-old footballer with charm to spare. Shakira Khan: A 22-year-old Manchester-based model, ready to turn heads. Megan Moore: A payroll specialist from Southampton, looking for someone tall and stylish. Alima Gagigo: International business graduate with brains and ambition. Tommy Bradley: A gym enthusiast with a big heart. Helena Ford: A Londoner with celebrity connections, aiming to find someone funny or Northern. Ben Holbrough: A model ready to make waves. Megan Clarke: An Irish actress already drawing comparisons to Maura Higgins. Dejon Noel-Williams: A personal trainer and semi-pro footballer, following in his footballer father's footsteps. Aaron Buckett: A towering 6'5' personal trainer. Conor Phillips: A 25-year-old Irish rugby pro. Antonia Laites: Love Island's first bombshell revealed as sexy Las Vegas pool party waitress. Yasmin Pettet: The 24-year-old bombshell hails from London and works as a commercial banking executive. Malisha Jordan: A teaching assistant from Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, who entered Love Island 2025 as a bombshell. Emily Moran: Bombshell Welsh brunette from the same town as Love Island 2024 alumni Nicole Samuel. Shea Mannings: Works as a scaffolder day-to-day and plays semi-pro football on the side. Remell Mullins: Boasts over 18million likes and 500k followers on TikTok thanks to his sizzling body transformation videos. Harrison Solomon: Pro footballer and model entering Love Island 2025 as a bombshell. Departures: Kyle Ashman: Axed after an arrest over a machete attack emerged. He was released with no further action taken and denies any wrongdoing. Sophie Lee: A model and motivational speaker who has overcome adversity after suffering life-changing burns in an accident. Blu Chegini: A boxer with striking model looks, seeking love in the villa. There certainly appeared to be something in this fan's intuition after Harry's behaviour in last night's episode. After his kisses with Yasmin were exposed, Helena ended things and he wasn't seen talking to Yasmin again. He did, however, make a beeline for Shakira, who has now called time on her time with Ben. "I wanted to see how you were feeling because I think initially you were number one for me and I kind of f***ed it," he said. "It's not even like the pickle I have got in with Helena. I just don't think I would do the things I do if it was you because I know you wouldn't stand for it, Shakira then replied: "It was you and it still is you but it's your behaviour for me that I can't tolerate. "Obviously it's not with me, which is fair, but if you ever did treat me like that, it would just be a f****** waste of time because I would never stand for it, ever." Harry went on to say: "It would be different if we were coupled up and I was getting to know people, I wouldnt have done it. "I have got away with so much with Helena already, I can just keep getting away with it, kind of thing." In the same reddit post, other fans agreed he likes Shakira but warned he will have eyes for lots of the Casa Amor beauties. 6 6


The Sun
38 minutes ago
- The Sun
Sam Thompson takes swipe at Love Island's Harry as he claims he's worked out ‘real reason' for his tears
SAM Thompson had little sympathy for Love Island's Harry on Aftersun after watching him break down in tears. On Sunday night's recap show, the former Made In Chelsea star watched as Harry Cooksley started crying over his predicament with the girls. 7 7 7 Over the course of the last week, Harry has been seen fighting for the affection of multiple girls – coupling up with Helena, before secretly snogging bombshell Yasmin in the Hideaway, and then trying to win back Shakira, whom he had a connection with at the beginning of the show. However, it's become clear it won't be that easy, with Shakira bluntly telling him he'll need a "personality transplant" if she were to consider getting back with him. Speaking with Dejon by the firepit about his predicament, his pal tried to offer him words of comfort, but admitted he felt Harry had a bigger connection with Helena. A red-eyed Harry then admitted: "I just have, like, nothing, do you know what I mean? It's just like, one minute we're good and then it's just like she can't even be around me. "It's like.. it's just weird, man. I will never be the same now, after the way I've acted." But Sam wasn't buying it, telling host Maya: "I'm a skeptic, so I think that he's laying awake at night, staring at the ceiling, going, 'I'm gonna look terrible, I need to cry!'" When asked if he thought they were crocodile tears, Sam hesitated before saying: "I don't know if they're crocodile, but I feel like it's more panic about how he's looking than how he feels about the girl in question." After airing the clip, Maya Jama asked Harry's mum Julia how she felt about seeing her son, who declared it was "good" he finally seemed to be feeling bad about his actions. Amy Hart had a slightly more empathetic take, believing that the pressure of the villa was beginning to get to the islander. "I think it's like a release," she explained to the group. The villa is such a pressure cooker, and there's so much going on, and normally you'd go out with your mates, like go to the pub or whatever, or go out for a run or something. Watch moment Harry reveals he's FAKING his feelings for Shakira to stay in the Love Island villa "But you can't do any of that. So I think that's just how it came out." The full scenes and what led up to Harry's emotional moment will be aired on tonight's show, with the footballer finding himself in a rut with Helena. Viewers previously begged Helena, 29, to stop being a "doormat" and dump Harry, 30, for good after he finally admitted to snogging Yasmin in the Hideaway. Their actions were exposed in a brutal firepit game on Thursday night, despite them both initially denying it. His confession prompted the blonde beauty to storm off - before her villa pal Megan Forte Clarke, 24, unleashed a sweary rant. Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2. 7 7 7 7


Daily Mail
44 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Blankety Blank viewers jeer 'someone's getting fired' as Naga Munchetty makes show debut - complaining 'I can't believe they put her on' amid BBC Breakfast bullying probe
Naga Munchetty made her first appearance on Blankety Blank amid the BBC Breakfast bullying probe. The news presenter featured on Saturday's instalment of the iconic game show, hosted by Bradley Walsh. Other guests included Great British Bake Off star Sue Perkins, This Morning's Dermot O'Leary, Iain Stirling, Paralympian Ellie Simmonds and Layton Williams. However, many viewers were focused on Naga, as her Blankety Blank debut comes as she finds herself reportedly accused of bullying a member of staff, according to The Sun, and allegedly was spoken to by bosses over a sex jibe she made while off-air at BBC Radio 5 Live. Naga's representatives have been approached for comment and it is unclear whether she will rebut the claims in The Sun. BBC Breakfast is also reportedly undergoing a bullying probe which was launched into BBC Breakfast, with much of the upset centred around its editor Richard Frediani. Watchers took to social media to share their thoughts and one posted on X: 'Naga Munchetty on Blankety Blank after the headlines she's been making someone at the bbc will get fired for that #bbc #blanketyblank.' Someone else added: 'Naga hasn't been cancelled yet then #blanketyblank.' 'Bad timing to feature Naga #BlanketyBlank,' one viewer said, followed by a laughing face emoji. While according to the Express, another penned: 'Corrr, can't believe they put Naga on Blankety Blank after this week. Bit bad timing init?' According to The Sun, Naga used a slang term for a sex act during an off-air break. The alleged remark in 2022 was said to have stunned the studio and led to Naga being spoken to by bosses. It was then reported that on BBC Breakfast last year, Naga was spoken to over alleged bullying of a woman. The BBC are now reportedly facing questions over whether there are 'double standards'. However, many viewers were focused on Naga, as her Blankety Blank debut comes as she finds herself reportedly accused of bullying a member of staff, according to The Sun , and allegedly was spoken to by bosses over a sex jibe she made while off-air at BBC Radio 5 Live When contacted by MailOnline, a BBC spokesperson said: 'While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously.' MailOnline previously contacted a representative for Naga Munchetty for comment. While in April, MailOnline exclusively revealed some staff had expressed unhappiness with the show's bullish editor Richard Frediani, accusing him of being on occasion 'aggressive' and 'belittling' towards his underlings. Meanwhile, it's being claimed by The Sun that tensions between two of Breakfast's hosts, Naga and Charlie, are threatening to explode, due to their opposing views behind the scenes. It's thought that the show's staff are feeling increasingly 'uneasy' around boss Frediani if they are not a person he favours, and host Naga is reportedly 'at her wits end' over the tensions. Sources also claim that Frediani feels he is 'untouchable' after the show scooped a BAFTA Television Award in May. It's also being claimed that some staff avoid being left alone with him following an allegation last year that he physically shook a lower-ranking female editor, with the complaint upheld following a BBC investigation. A source said: 'The probe into Fredi's bullying is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to BBC Breakfast. 'In reality, the smiles on the red sofa mask growing tension and an increasingly toxic culture, driven from the top down, with its unwitting presenters at the heart. 'Naga is incredibly approachable and friendly to everyone on set. Charlie is very professional and tries to disengage from any politics. But some stars, like Sally Nugent, are loved by Fredi, whereas others, like Naga and Charlie, are not. 'Frankly, he can be mildly terrifying if you're on the wrong side of him.' The source went onto claim that some younger staff are choosing to 'keep their heads down and weather the storm' due to fears for their jobs. A BBC spokesperson told the publication: 'While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously and will not tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values. 'We have robust processes in place and would encourage any staff with concerns to raise them directly with us so they can be addressed.' Blankety Blank airs on BBC One every Saturday at 8pm and is available to stream on iPlayer.