Delilah Cutting Samson's Hair c. 17th century

Curator: Oh, the moment just before the fall, isn’t it? Editor: Absolutely. This is Claude Mellan's "Delilah Cutting Samson's Hair". Look at that intricate engraving technique! All those parallel lines to create light and shadow. Curator: It's practically hypnotic. I almost feel like I'm there, watching Delilah's face. There’s something so detached, almost bored in her expression… Did she ever really love him? Editor: Perhaps love is beside the point. Mellan was interested in the materials of power. Delilah uses readily available tools—scissors—to strip Samson of his strength. It’s about agency, and the tangible means of enacting it. Curator: I see that. Still, to me, it’s a scene of such profound intimacy, twisted by betrayal. It makes you wonder about the weight of secrets and the stories we tell ourselves to justify our actions. Editor: It's a reminder that power dynamics are not always overt. And the smallest object, used at the right moment, can change everything. Curator: Ultimately, it’s a powerful illustration of vulnerability, and a lesson, perhaps, to be wary of where you lay your head. Editor: Indeed, and about the deceptively simple tools that shape history.