Judge of ancient Israel, known for wielding supernatural strength (Judges)

Samson carries the gates of Gaza out of the city. Woodcut.

Delilah caresses the sleeping Samson as she sets her barber to work. Engraving by J.B. de Poilly after F. Verdier, 1698.

A man sits on a high chair in front of a table surrounded by others: they watch two men in the middle of the floor perform a ritual. Etching by J. Barlow, 1790, after S. Collings.

Manoah and his wife pray to an angel which emerges from the flame of their altar. Line engraving by L. Desplaces after C. Le Brun.

Christ appears in the skies on the day of judgement. Engraving by J. Cole after M. Rota after Michelangelo.

The genius of painting, preferring sacred to secular history, brings to the public the history of Samson, and writes a dedication to E. Colbert. Etching by J. Gillet and F. Verdier after F. Verdier, 1698.

Five tombs containing skeletons of historical exemplars of wisdom, war, beauty, strength and riches; an allegory of change, decay and death. Engraving after A.P. van de Venne, ca. 1655.

A strongman has his hair combed by a lady; a parody of Samson and Delilah. Colour process print after E. Schlemo, 19--.

Samson's crushed body is borne away by his brethren. Engraving by J. Audran after F. Verdier, 1698.

God and two cherubs make water flow from the ass's jaw that Samson has used to kill the Philistines. Etching by B. Audran after F. Verdier, 1698.

The young Samson excels on the battlefield. Etching by J.B. de Poilly after F. Verdier, 1698.

Samson is entombed. Engraving by J.B. de Poilly after F. Verdier, 1698.

1 print : stipple engraving ; image 22.1 x 15.5 cm

A fettered Samson sits blind and distraught in a gloomy clearing. Stipple engraving by T. Kirk after R. Westall.

Paradise regain'd . A poem, in four books. Samson Agonistes. A dramatick poem. Comus. A mask. With Poems on several occasions. And A tractate of education. The author John Milton.

Samson, an oratorio . As it is perform'd by the Castle Society in Pater-Noster-Row. Alter'd and adapted to the stage from the Samson Agonistes of Milton. Set to musick by Mr. Handel.

Paradise regain'd  a poem. In four books. To which is added Samson Agonistes; and poems upon several occasions. With a tractate of education. The author John Milton.

Sunday reading. The history of Samson

Galleries and Reading Room

Library

Shop

Café

It's not possible to book tickets for events at present due to a problem with the ticketing system. We're working to fix it. You can still search and check information about events but please try again later if you want to book a ticket.

We're running paid user research studies to improve Wellcome Collection online

Take part in research

The archives landing page, archive category pages, and the 'Browse archives' link on the archive card list.

A 'Browse other types of archives' section.

Archive browsing

Archive collection level pages, plus the archive collection treatment on the work page and in search results.

The catalogue API's shortDescription is shown on the archive collection hero and in search results.

Archive collection

Clicking an image opens its details in a sidebar instead of a modal, with the selected image highlighted in the grid.

Updated image results grid and a re-sizable viewing pane.

Larger thumbnail, plus key information and onward journey in the sidebar.

Image sidebar preview

The three thematic browsing category pages (subjects, people & organisations, types & techniques) become accessible.

Subject sub-category pages become accessible, and the subjects category page gains a sub-category menu.

Samson

Images from the collections

Images featuring Samson

Works from the collections

A fettered Samson sits blind and distraught in a gloomy clearing. Stipple engraving by T. Kirk after R. Westall.

Paradise regain'd . A poem, in four books. Samson Agonistes. A dramatick poem. Comus. A mask. With Poems on several occasions. And A tractate of education. The author John Milton.

Samson, an oratorio . As it is perform'd by the Castle Society in Pater-Noster-Row. Alter'd and adapted to the stage from the Samson Agonistes of Milton. Set to musick by Mr. Handel.

Paradise regain'd a poem. In four books. To which is added Samson Agonistes; and poems upon several occasions. With a tractate of education. The author John Milton.

Sunday reading. The history of Samson

Samson

Images from the collections

Images featuring Samson

Works from the collections

A fettered Samson sits blind and distraught in a gloomy clearing. Stipple engraving by T. Kirk after R. Westall.

Paradise regain'd . A poem, in four books. Samson Agonistes. A dramatick poem. Comus. A mask. With Poems on several occasions. And A tractate of education. The author John Milton.

Samson, an oratorio . As it is perform'd by the Castle Society in Pater-Noster-Row. Alter'd and adapted to the stage from the Samson Agonistes of Milton. Set to musick by Mr. Handel.

Paradise regain'd a poem. In four books. To which is added Samson Agonistes; and poems upon several occasions. With a tractate of education. The author John Milton.

Sunday reading. The history of Samson

Related topics