The artwork, titled “Prisoner of the Philistines who gouged out his eyes, Samson, whose strength came back with his hair pushed back, knocks down the pillars of the house and will die with his enemies when the roof will fall (Judges XVI, 28-30),” was created by Marc Chagall around 1956 in France. Rendered in etching on paper, it belongs to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and is part of the “Etchings for the Bible” series, produced between 1930-1939 and 1952-1956. This religious artwork measures 29.8 x 25 cm and delves into the biblical narrative of Samson’s final act of strength.
The artwork depicts a powerful moment from the biblical story of Samson, who, blinded and captured by the Philistines, regains his strength as his hair grows back. In this desperate but resurgent state, he pushes against the pillars of the house, intending to collapse the structure upon himself and his enemies. Chagall’s etching captures the intense drama and pivotal moment of Samson’s retribution and sacrifice. The composition is characterized by its bold, expressive lines, and the stark, almost monumental portrayal of Samson’s muscular form straining against the architecture. The emotive rendering of the scene, combined with the biblical subject matter, exemplifies Chagall’s unique blend of personal and spiritual motifs.
