Samson and the lion
1842
Francesco Hayez captures the raw, muscular power of the biblical hero Samson in this dramatic 1842 masterpiece. Standing over the slain lion he just tore apart with his bare hands, Samson's rippling physique is a perfect example of Romanticism's love for intense emotion and physical strength. Hayez, the leading painter of Romanticism in Milan, uses the dark, moody forest background to highlight the hero's pale skin and the sheer brutality of the moment. It's a scene of ultimate victory, showing the moment Samson realizes his own superhuman strength, a story that would later inspire comic book heroes like Superman!
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