Samson and the Lion
Medium
Engraving on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Plate: 19.5 × 22.5 cm (7 11/16 × 8 7/8 in.); sheet: 20.9 × 23.9 cm (8 1/4 × 9 7/16 in.)
Classification
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
268354
Art Historical Context
Created in 1609 by Dutch printmaker Pieter Serwouters, *Samson and the Lion* captures a dramatic moment from the biblical Book of Judges. Rendered as an engraving on ivory laid paper, the work measures just under eight by nine inches, making it an intimate yet powerful example of early seventeenth-century graphic art. Serwouters, active during the Dutch Golden Age, used the precise lines and tonal contrasts possible with engraving to convey both movement and emotion in a compact format. Engravings like this one played a vital role in spreading religious stories and moral lessons across Europe...