Samson and Delilah, 1902

About the Work

Delilah triumphant. In a victorious gesture she presents her trophy of Samson’s curls to her allies. The man whose hair she has cut off and thus deprived of his invincible powers has sunk into her lap. Liebermann has staged the Old Testament story as the modern struggle of the sexes: naked bodies strike dramatic poses in front of the stark background of white sheets and grey walls. Delilah represents the femme fatale disempowering her lover. Such strong female figures captured the imagination of the public at the turn of the century.