Samson Fighting with the Lion

Albrecht Dürer

National Gallery of Art

This is a drawing of a man fighting a lion in a detailed landscape. The scene is engraved with intricate line work, depicting a muscular figure engaged in combat with a fierce lion. The man, dressed in historical attire, appears to be pulling the jaws of the lion apart with great force. The background is richly detailed, with a landscape featuring distant hills, trees, and a castle or fortified town. The sky is filled with wispy clouds and birds, and the entire composition is rendered in fine, detailed lines typical of traditional engravings. The drawing captures a dramatic moment, showcasing both the tension of the struggle and the beauty of the natural and architectural elements surrounding the scene.