Samson met de ezelskaak

About this artwork

pen in bruin en penseel in grijs, witte verf, op grijs papier

Art Historical Context

This striking drawing by Hendrick Goltzius captures the dramatic biblical moment when Samson wields the jawbone of an ass as a weapon against the Philistines. Created between 1586 and 1590, the work reflects Goltzius’s masterful draftsmanship during the height of Northern Mannerism. Working in Haarlem, he often explored dynamic poses and muscular tension, qualities clearly evident in this compact yet powerful composition measuring just 263 by 168 millimeters. Executed with brown pen, gray brushwork, and white highlights on gray paper, the sheet demonstrates Goltzius’s sophisticated command of chiaroscuro. The prepared paper allows luminous white accents to model Samson’s form and intensify the scene’s energy, a technique that heightens the emotional impact without relying on color. Such drawings frequently served both as independent works of art and as studies for his celebrated engravings. Goltzius’s treatment transforms a violent Old Testament episode into a study of human strength and divine favor. The restrained palette and precise linework invite viewers to appreciate the artist’s technical virtuosity while contemplating the timeless themes of courage and deliverance.

About the Artist

Hendrick Goltzius · 1558–1617

Hendrick Goltzius (1558–1617) was the most celebrated engraver of the Northern Renaissance and a pivotal figure in Dutch Mannerism. Born near the German-Dutch border, Goltzius transformed printmaking into a virtuoso art form through his revolutionary 'swelling line' technique, where the burin was manipulated to create lines of varying thickness that produced unprecedented tonal effects and three-d...