Adam and Eve, 1638

About the Work

The Bible relates how Adam and Eve, the first humans, violated God's prohibition to eat the fruit of the "tree of knowledge" and how they were subsequently driven out of paradise. Here Rembrandt has dealt precisely with the psychology of this event. With a mischievous expression, Eve attempts to bite into the apple, while Adam anxiously tries to hold her back, which in turn infuriates the devil-dragon in the tree. The (warning?) trumpeting elephant in the background can be understood as a symbol of virtue. The etching is perhaps a replica of Dürer's famous copper engraving "Adam and Eve".