Woodblock for Samson Rending the Lion 1492 - 1503

Albrecht Dürer crafted this woodblock, titled "Samson Rending the Lion," rich in symbols potent with historical and cultural significance. The central motif is of course, Samson, whose Herculean feat of tearing apart a lion embodies the triumph of man over beastly instincts, and more broadly, good over evil. This image echoes ancient myths—Gilgamesh wrestling the lion, Heracles with the Nemean lion—each a symbol of heroic strength and divine favor. This motif appears again and again, resurfacing in different guises across time. The lion, traditionally a symbol of royalty and power, is here subverted, its strength rendered futile against divine will. Consider the psychological undercurrents: the act of rending, a primal, violent assertion of dominance, speaks to deep-seated fears and desires within the human psyche. Such images tap into our collective memory, engaging viewers on a visceral level. The symbol progresses non-linearly, echoing through the corridors of history, evolving, and acquiring new layers of meaning with each retelling.