THE HEATHEN IDOL 1978
Robert Medley (1905 – 1994)
Details
- Dimension
- 69.5 X 51.5 CM
- Media
- SCREENPRINT
- Accession number
- P3693
Summary
This work comes from the portfolio Samson Agonistes. The works are the artist’s response to the tragedy written by the poet John Milton in 1671. Milton’s play focussed on last years of the life of Samson as told in Book of Judges in the Bible. The tragedy begins with the blinded Samson held captive in Gaza by the Philistines, for their amusement Samson is summoned to perform feats of strength. The play ends with Samson pulling down the pillars of the place where the assembly are gathered, and all, including Samson, are destroyed. Milton’s play ends with the words ‘calm of mind, all passion spent’.
Glossary
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Portfolio
A set of pictures (as drawings, photographs or prints) either bound in book form or loose in a folder. These can be by the same artist or individual works by a selection of artists. The term also refers to the folder which holds the set.