man with long curly hair sitting astride a lion, pulling its mouth open; buildings in background at URC and in ULQ, with boats on water

Samson Rending the Lion, c. 1497-98

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The story of Samson and the Lion is briefly told in the Book of Judges:

Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him. The Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat.

In the Abrahamic religions, the tale offers a lesson in the power that accrues to the faithful when visited by the Spirit of the Lord. That lesson combined with heroic drama made Samson and the Lion an ideal subject for Albrecht Dürer to display his pathbreaking graphic talent.

Details
Title
Samson Rending the Lion
Artist Life
1471–1528
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2022.35.2
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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man with long curly hair sitting astride a lion, pulling its mouth open; buildings in background at URC and in ULQ, with boats on water