Samson Fighting with the Lion

Samson Fighting with the Lion is a significant early print created by Albrecht Dürer between 1497 and 1498. This dynamic scene, executed as a woodcut on laid paper, demonstrates the artist's burgeoning skill in manipulating line and shadow within the demanding medium of prints. Dürer produced this work during a period of intense creative output following his first journey to Italy, solidifying his reputation as a master draftsman and printmaker.

The work illustrates the Old Testament narrative found in the Book of Judges (14:5-6), where the hero Samson encounters a powerful young lion while traveling to Timnah. The composition tightly focuses on the struggle, capturing the raw physical power of the hero tearing the animal's jaws apart, empowered by divine strength. The intense drama and detailed execution reflect the increasing sophistication of the German artistic tradition during the late fifteenth century.

Produced during the pivotal period covering 1401 to 1500, this piece marks a major shift in how such Biblical narratives were treated in Northern European art, moving toward greater naturalism and dramatic intensity. Dürer’s innovative approach helped elevate the humble woodcut from a simple reproductive craft to an independent, expressive art form, ensuring that his powerful compositions were widely disseminated across the continent. This particular impression of the work is preserved in the permanent collections of the National Gallery of Art. Such historical works, now often entering the public domain due to their age, continue to serve as essential reference points for the history of graphic arts, defining the standard for Renaissance mastery.