‘Samson carrying the Gates,’ by Frederic Leighton. Plate 48. 6½ x 7½ inches. Proof wood engraving by the Dalziels; printed on India paper. The scene here is Samson carrying the gates of Gaza, having them ripped them off and demonstrated the Philistines’ weakness (Judges 14). [Click on image to enlarge it.]
Leighton again displays the character’s superhuman strength, this time by concentrating not on his musculature (as in ‘Samson and the Lion’) but on the scale of the load, which bears down upon him in a darkened, inert slab. The illustration exemplifies the Dalziels’ style, with their preference for bold blocking and sharp contrasts of black and white. The drama of the figure and his cargo is cleverly amplified by reducing the city walls to a visual cipher, with no details to distract or divert attention from Samson’s epic feat.
Image scan and text by Simon Cooke. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned it and (2) link to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one.
Bibliography
Dalziels’ Bible Gallery. London: Routledge, 1881 [1880].
Created 30 June 2026