Simsons dood 1645 - 1646

"Simsons dood" (1645-1646) is a small-scale etching by Christoffel van (II) Sichem, depicting the death of Samson as described in the Book of Judges. Sichem's detailed engraving, now in the Rijksmuseum, captures the moment Samson, crushed beneath the falling temple, is overcome by the Philistines. The use of hatching and cross-hatching techniques, and the dynamic composition, evoke the drama of the event. This scene is a testament to Sichem's skill in depicting both the human and the dramatic, within the constraints of the small print format.