Samson Candlestick

This cast candle holder, found in the Schaalsee in 1834 belongs to a small group of figural candlesticks representing Samson conquering the lion. In Christian typology, the doctrine concerning correspondences between the Old and New Testament, Samson stands as an Old Testament antitype for Christ. Samson’s fight with the lion, in which he tears the beast’s jaw apart with his bare hands, allegorically represents the triumph of good over evil, of light over darkness. Even Samson’s demonstrative grip on the animal’s ear is a significant ‘speaking’ gesture: ‘testes sunt per aures tracti’ (‘the witnesses are taken – literally pulled – by the ear’) is a common closing formula in medieval documents. With this gesture Samson makes the conquered lion a witness to his strength.