Cleveland Museum of Art

Samson and Delilah

Hans Burgkmair

Date

1519

Medium

woodcut

Culture

Germany

Department

Prints

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Samson was a man of immense strength and a Nazarite, an Israelite who took a pious oath not to cut his hair or drink alcohol. Bribed by the Philistines (enemies of the Israelites), Delilah—Samson’s lover—cut his hair after discovering that it was the source of his strength. In Hans Brosamer’s rendition, Samson has fallen asleep on Delilah’s lap as she cuts his hair while the Philistines enter. A large chalice and ewer nearby reveal the role of wine in his slumber. Hans Burgkmair similarly emphasized the importance of wine to the plot with a single beaker. The story was popular in Protestant northern Europe, where it was understood as a cautionary tale about the dangers of temptation and neglecting one’s spiritual commitments. Scissors like those wielded by Delilah in this print have been used for personal grooming since ancient times.

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