Samson and Delilah
ca. 1507
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 11 1/8 x 7 15/16 in. (28.3 x 20.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1924
Accession Number
24.8.2
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the early 16th century, artist Lucas van Leyden created *Samson and Delilah around 1507, a masterful engraving that captures a pivotal biblical moment from the Book of Judges. Here, the heroic Samson—whose superhuman strength derives from his uncut hair—is betrayed by the seductive Delilah, who shears his locks while soldiers lurk nearby with weapons drawn. Van Leyden, a prodigy of the Northern Renaissance often compared to Albrecht Dürer, populates the scene with dynamic figures, emphasizing themes of love, treachery, and impending death through intricate details of clothing, expressions, ...
About the Artist
Lucas van Leyden · 1484–1533
Lucas van Leyden (1494–1533) was a Dutch painter and printmaker who stands among the greatest engravers of the Northern Renaissance. Born in Leiden as either Lucas Hugensz or Lucas Jacobsz, he lived and worked primarily in his native city, achieving international renown that rivaled the German master Albrecht Dürer. Lucas van Leyden revolutionized Netherlandish printmaking and was among the first...