# Samson and Delilah

[View the canonical artwork record](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/lievens-jan-rbc6c02f4db1ef7/samson-and-delilah-r192b0c29020f9d>)

## Artwork

- Artist: [LIEVENS, Jan](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/lievens-jan-rbc6c02f4db1ef7>)
- Date: 1601-1650
- Technique: Oil on canvas, 131 x 111 cm

## Commentary

This painting, presenting the three half-length Old Testament figures in a crowded composition, was painted by Jan Lievens in the second half of the 1620s when he was working in Leiden with Rembrandt. Their relationship can be characterized as a kind of artistic rivalry in which the two young artists were equal. They studied each other&#39;s work seeking inspiration for their own compositions. This can be seen in the choice of subject matter. &lt;a onclick=&#34;return OpenOther\(&#39;/html/r/rembrand/15oldtes/03oldtes.html&#39;\)&#34; href=&#34;/html/r/rembrand/15oldtes/03oldtes.html&#34;&gt;Rembrandt also painted the story&lt;/a&gt; of Samson and Delilah at about the same time. However, this painting shows more differences than similarities in comparison with the work by Lievens. For Lievens&#39;s representation of the scene, a &lt;a onclick=&#34;return OpenOther\(&#39;/html/h/honthors/1/01samson.html&#39;\)&#34; href=&#34;/html/h/honthors/1/01samson.html&#34;&gt;painting by Gerrit van Honthorst&lt;/a&gt; can be considered as source of inspiration. &lt;p&gt; &lt;table align=left cellpadding=5 border=1 width=320 bgcolor=&#34;\#99cccc&#34;&gt; &lt;tr valign=middle&gt;&lt;td&gt;&lt;img src=&#34;/support/gif/listen.gif&#34; border=0 valign=middle&gt; Suggested listening \(streaming mp3, 10 minutes\):&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href=&#34;\#&#34; onClick=&#34;w=window.open \(&#39;/music1/19\_cent/saint-saens\_delila.html&#39;, &#39;newWin&#39;, &#39;scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=350,height=350&#39;\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return true&#34;&gt;&lt;b&gt;Camille Saint-Saens: Samson et Delila, Delila&#39;s aria&lt;/b&gt;&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/table&gt;

## Related artworks

- [A Tronie](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/lievens-jan-rbc6c02f4db1ef7/a-tronie-r099dd965a5e127>)
- [Bearded Old Man with a Brown Cloak](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/lievens-jan-rbc6c02f4db1ef7/bearded-old-man-with-a-brown-cloak-r882cfa80723d8d>)
- [Bust of a Young Girl](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/lievens-jan-rbc6c02f4db1ef7/bust-of-a-young-girl-rb9f445572ac624>)
- [Head of an Old Man](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/lievens-jan-rbc6c02f4db1ef7/head-of-an-old-man-rce93f8b7874f0b>)
- [Jacob Receiving the Bloody Tunic of Joseph](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/lievens-jan-rbc6c02f4db1ef7/jacob-receiving-the-bloody-tunic-of-joseph-r2a06c677df3c3f>)
- [Old Man in Oriental Garb](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/lievens-jan-rbc6c02f4db1ef7/old-man-in-oriental-garb-rdd999d996021ce>)
- [Pilate Washing his Hands](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/lievens-jan-rbc6c02f4db1ef7/pilate-washing-his-hands-rc34ec0dd993d5f>)
- [Portrait of an Old Man](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/lievens-jan-rbc6c02f4db1ef7/portrait-of-an-old-man-r26d65f35926bff>)
- [Portrait of Ephraim Bueno](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/lievens-jan-rbc6c02f4db1ef7/portrait-of-ephraim-bueno-r0768137300fe89>)
- [Portrait of Petrus Egidius de Morrion](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/lievens-jan-rbc6c02f4db1ef7/portrait-of-petrus-egidius-de-morrion-r947f9ab13e149f>)
- [Portrait of Poet Jan Vos](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/lievens-jan-rbc6c02f4db1ef7/portrait-of-poet-jan-vos-r83650b1b86a009>)
- [Prince Charles Louis with His Tutor, as Alexander Instructed by Aristotle](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/lievens-jan-rbc6c02f4db1ef7/prince-charles-louis-with-his-tutor-as-alexander-instructed-by-aristotle-ra6f51c4d9872d9>)

## Attribution

[Web Gallery of Art](<https://beta.wga.hu/pages/about>)