Engraving “Samson killing a lion”. Power, anger, danger, strong movements of the body, in which the strong movements of the soul are expressed, are transmitted here. Durer reread in the “Book of Judges” the place where Samson meets the lion: “And Samson went with his father and his mother to Timnah, and when they approached the vineyards of the Phimnathos, behold, the young lion, roaring, comes to meet him. the Spirit of the Lord, and he tore the lion like a kid… “.
On the engraving the strong man saddled the lion, forced him to fall on the front legs and with his mighty hands tore his mouth. Samson is like Hercules. He has a different pose, but the same swollen muscles, the same naked feet in sandals, the bearded face of the same warehouse.
Did Durer not notice the similarities, and noticing that he could not escape? He could, but did not want to. It is not an accident. Subsequently, Durer will reflect in one of his theoretical treatises that the images of ancient art should be converted into biblical characters; for example, to make of Hercules Samson. This thought occurred to him when he worked on these two engravings. They are, incidentally, the same size, as if designed to sell them in pairs.
Samson’s fight with the lion by Lucas Cranach 
Samson le tueur de lion – Albrecht Durer 
Le combat de Samson avec le lion – Lucas Cranach 
Samson makes a puzzle at the wedding table by Rembrandt Harmens Van Rhine 
St. John receives the book of Revelations by Albrecht Durer 
Illustration from the treatise “A Guide to Measurement with a Circulation and a ruler” by Albrecht Durer 
The Apostle by Albrecht Durer 
Son of man. Engraving by Albrecht Durer