Samson and Delilah

This engraving depicts an episode from the Biblical story of Samson, a Hebrew warrior, and Delilah, his lover. We see here the moment at which Delilah cuts Samson’s hair, the source of his superhuman strength. In the text, which appears in the Book of Judges from the Old Testament, Delilah is promised a large sum of money by the Philistine princes to uncover Samson’s secret. Once his hair is cut, the Philistines succeed in capturing, blinding, and imprisoning him.

A striking aspect of this rendering of the scene is Delilah’s direct eye contact with the viewer. The confidence of her gaze, her gentle handling of Samson’s hair, and the tiny size of the scissors make the subject less immediately apparent, contrasting sharply with other, contemporary depictions, including another version by Master E.S. (see Bartsch VIII.2.4 or Lehrs 5) and treatments of the subject by Albrecht Altdorfer (31.81.1) and Lucas van Leyden (24.8.2). In the present work, the pronounced size difference between the two figures aligns it with the popular theme of the “power of women” and the notion that women were responsible for the temptations of the flesh. Samson’s small size possibly suggests his loss of power as a result of his giving into profane or earthly love. By setting the couple in a secluded landscape, the artist builds a romantic atmosphere reminiscent of his love garden compositions, in which nature becomes a stage for sensuality and irrationality. (See Pair of Lovers on a Grassy Bench.) Although this image of Samson and Delilah may have acted as a warning for men to be wary of women, its harmonious composition reflects the theme of deception central to the Biblical narrative. This deceptive sense of harmony is underscored by the gentle breeze that animates Samson’s cloak, its furled shape mirroring that of the fabric of Delilah’s headdress.

Master E.S. was one of the earliest engravers and the first to initial his work. He is thought to have been a goldsmith, and though this engraving lacks his monogram, the small circles on the hems of both Samson and Delilah’s clothing were likely executed with a goldsmith’s punch.

Tatianna Spotorno, December 9, 2022