Capital with Samson and an Attendant Fighting a Lion

ca. 1175–1200
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 304
This capital and the one to the left depict, in a simple, almost abstract manner, a man and an animal engaged in combat. The capitals must have supported a principal arch, perhaps the entrance to the choir of a church. Here Samson, with long hair, struggles with the lion, assisted by two men, one with a mace, another with a knife.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Capital with Samson and an Attendant Fighting a Lion
  • Date: ca. 1175–1200
  • Geography: Made in Palencia, Spain
  • Culture: North Spanish
  • Medium: Limestone
  • Dimensions: Overall: 19 3/4 x 20 1/4 x 16 5/8 in. (50.2 x 51.4 x 42.2 cm)
    weight: 428lb. (194.1kg)
  • Classification: Sculpture-Architectural
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1921
  • Object Number: 21.21.2
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

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