Adam and Eve in Paradise

Unknown

18th Century · Oil on canvas · The American Wing

Adam and Eve, unashamed of their nakedness, hold each other in a casual embrace as God points to the tree of knowledge and admonishes them not to eat its fruit. The figures derive from an engraving by Jan Sadeler I (after Maerten de Vos), published in Antwerp in 1583. Human anatomy, already exaggerated in the print, is further accentuated in the painting by the addition of color, as Adam’s ruddy flesh contrasts with Eve’s blushed ivory skin. The paradise landscape they inhabit, with its lush vegetation and brightly colored birds, is typical of Cuzco painting in the 18th century.

Artist

Unknown

Date

18th Century

Medium

Oil on canvas

Culture

Peruvian (Cuzco)

Department

The American Wing

Credit line

Gift of Sharon Li Baldwin, in honor of James Kung Wei Li and Julie Chu Lu Li, 2022