Samson and Delilah
ca. 1528–30
Medium
Oil on beech
Dimensions
22 1/2 x 14 7/8 in. (57.2 x 37.8cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Joan Whitney Payson, 1975
Accession Number
1976.201.11
Tags
About this artwork
This Oil on beech by Lucas Cranach the Elder from ca. 1528–30 exemplifies historical artistic production through its materials, techniques, and aesthetic approach. Created within specific cultural and historical contexts, works like this reflect both individual artistic vision and broader patterns of workshop practice, patron expectations, and prevailing aesthetic theories. The medium of Oil on beech required specialized knowledge developed through years of training, involving mastery of materia...
About the Artist
Lucas Cranach the Elder · 1472–1553
Lucas Cranach the Elder (c. 1472-1553) was one of the most prominent German Renaissance painters and a key artistic figure of the Protestant Reformation. Born in Kronach, Franconia, to the painter Hans Maler, Cranach began his career in Vienna around 1502, where he became one of the founders of the Danube School, a movement characterized by expressive landscape painting and emotional force. His ea...