Samson Rending the Lion, c. 1497-98
Albrecht Dürerexpand_more
Woodcutexpand_more
The Barbara S. Longfellow Endowed Acquisition Fund and the John E. and Marion Andrus III Fund in Support of the Department of Prints and Drawingsexpand_more 2022.35.2
Not on Viewexpand_more
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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