Artwork
Samson and Delilah
Samson and Delilah is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Hans Burgkmair the Elder. It dates from 1519 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Hans Burgkmair I’s woodcut entitled *Samson and Delilah* dates from 1519. Executed as a black‑and‑white print, the image captures a violent encounter between the biblical hero and his betrayer, rendered in the stark contrasts typical of early sixteenth‑century German printmaking.
Subject & Meaning
The composition places Delilah above a fallen Samson, whose hair—his source of strength—is seized in her grasp while a blindfold obscures his eyes. The surrounding chaos, with crumbling walls, shattered furniture and a crouching dog, amplifies the sense of moral collapse and the destructive power of deceit.
Technique & Style
Burgkmair employed the woodcut process, carving the design into a wooden block, inking the raised surfaces, and pressing the block onto paper. The medium yields bold, linear contours and dense cross‑hatching, allowing the artist to model dramatic lighting and convey kinetic tension through sharp, scratchy lines.
History & Provenance
Created in the early Renaissance period, the print reflects the flourishing of German print culture in the 1500s. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work is catalogued among Burgkmair’s surviving prints and is held in several major European collections that specialize in early modern graphic art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Hans Burgkmair the Elder (1473–1531) was a German artist, born in Augsburg.
Samson and Delilah
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