Where can I see Roundel with Delilah Cutting the Hair of Samson?

Roundel with Delilah Cutting the Hair of Samson is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Roundel with Delilah Cutting the Hair of Samson?

Roundel with Delilah Cutting the Hair of Samson is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Artwork

Roundel with Delilah Cutting the Hair of Samson

Roundel with Delilah Cutting the Hair of Samson is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1520 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This roundel painting depicts a pivotal moment from the biblical story of Samson and Delilah.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

While the artist remains anonymous, the work functions as a moral illustration within the religious genre, capturing the dramatic climax of the Samson story.

The artwork depicts the biblical narrative of Delilah cutting the hair of Samson, a pivotal moment from the Book of Judges where Samson's strength is betrayed and stripped away. As a piece of religious art created around 1520, the roundel visualizes the interaction between Delilah and Samson. The scene serves as an iconographic representation of the loss of divine power through treachery and the consequences of broken vows.

While the artist remains anonymous, the work functions as a moral illustration within the religious genre, capturing the dramatic climax of the Samson story. The composition focuses on the intimate yet fatal act of hair-cutting, symbolizing the transfer of strength from the hero to his adversary.

Technique & Style

The work titled Roundel with Delilah Cutting the Hair of Samson is dated to around 1520. It is classified as a religious artwork and is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection, attributed to an anonymous hand. Executed on a flat support using techniques common in early sixteenth-century European art, the piece centers on the compositional arrangement of the biblical figures of Delilah and Samson, rendered in a style typical of religious works of the period.

History & Provenance

The work was created around 1520. It is classified as a religious work and is attributed to an anonymous artist, showing Delilah cutting the hair of the biblical figure Samson. It remained in private hands until it entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is accessioned as 1975.1.106 and was first recorded in 1975. No documentation indicates a specific commission or patron.

Overview

This roundel painting depicts a pivotal moment from the biblical story of Samson and Delilah. A woman, identified as Delilah, is shown cutting the hair of a small child, who represents Samson, while three armored men observe the scene. Rendered primarily in earthy tones, the artwork captures a quiet tension as the act that will strip Samson of his strength unfolds. An outdoor environment, featuring a tree, fence, and a distant building, forms the backdrop.

Artist & collection

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art

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