Samson Killing the Lion

"Samson Killing the Lion," by Albrecht Dürer, is a masterfully executed woodcut print created between 1496 and 1497. This early work of the German Renaissance master showcases Dürer’s revolutionary approach to the medium. Unlike traditional woodcuts, which often featured simple outlines, Dürer introduced complex crosshatching and varied line work, lending his prints unprecedented depth and dimensionality, a technique that significantly elevated the status of graphic arts in the Northern Renaissance.

The subject illustrates the dramatic biblical episode from the Book of Judges, where the strongman Samson attacks a lion with his bare hands near the vineyards of Timnath. Dürer focuses intently on the violent struggle; Samson appears muscular and dynamic, reflecting the influence of idealized Italian anatomy studies that the artist had begun to incorporate into his style following his initial travels south. The composition’s energy is balanced by the intricate detail of the background foliage, characteristic of German graphic arts of the period.

As one of the most recognized prints from this era, the work demonstrates why Dürer remains synonymous with the Golden Age of German printmaking. The high demand for these striking images, disseminated widely across Europe, solidified the artist’s reputation internationally. This specific impression of Samson Killing the Lion is held within the distinguished collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, preserving a crucial example of early German printmaking history. Due to its historical significance and age, high-quality images of this foundational woodcut are often available through public domain art initiatives, ensuring continued scholarly access.