The artwork, titled “Having lingered in Gaza house of courtesan, and watched by the people who wanted to kill him, Samson takes the gates of the city, the load them on his back and will place them on top of a mountain (Judges XVI, 1 – 3),” is created by Marc Chagall circa 1956 in France. This etching on paper, part of the artist’s “Etchings for the Bible” series from 1930-1939 and 1952-1956, falls under the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and measures 29.4 x 23.1 cm. The artwork belongs to the genre of religious painting.
The artwork depicts the biblical episode where Samson, having lingered in a courtesan’s house and being watched by people who intended to kill him, takes the gates of the city of Gaza. In this moment of immense strength and defiance, Samson is shown bearing the city’s gates on his back as he ascends a mountain. The use of etching provides a stark and dramatic representation, emphasizing the physical exertion and spiritual significance of the scene. Chagall’s technique captures the raw emotion and intensity of the narrative, a common characteristic of his works within the Naïve Art movement.
