Samson and Delilah seated on a bed, Samson tearing apart the ropes binding his hands as soldiers look on from behind a curtain; from the series of 112 prints of the sacred history, after the painting by Giovanni Battista Pittoni 1725 - 1744

Pietro Monaco created this print, "Samson and Delilah," based on a painting by Giovanni Battista Pittoni. The scene leaps out at you, doesn't it? It’s a flurry of contrasting energies rendered in stark monochrome. The composition is structured around the tense figures of Samson and Delilah. Samson, straining against his bonds, is sharply juxtaposed with Delilah's theatrical pose of betrayal. The artist uses strong lines to define the musculature of Samson, conveying his raw strength. Delilah’s form, however, uses softer, curvilinear lines to communicate vulnerability and deceit. Note the gaze of the hidden soldiers peering out from behind the curtain as witnesses. This work engages with themes of power, betrayal, and resistance. Samson’s struggle against his physical restraints mirrors a broader conflict between individual agency and external control. The artist highlights the instability of meaning and power dynamics inherent in human relationships. Observe how the lines draw the eye repeatedly to Samson’s straining arms. The artist uses line not just to depict but also to emphasize the themes of strength and struggle which reverberate throughout the piece.