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The Fall of Man

A work made of woodcut in black on ivory laid paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of woodcut in black on ivory laid paper.

Date:

1509

Artist:

Lucas Cranach the Elder
German, 1472-1553

About this artwork

In this scene from the biblical story of Adam and Eve, Eve is tempted by the serpent above her head to pluck forbidden fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. By consuming the fruit, Adam and Eve disobey God, who punishes them with toil, pain, mortality, and exile from Eden. Lucas Cranach here emphasized Eve’s responsibility for the Fall by depicting her as dominant over Adam and the animals in Eden. Eve stands over her submissive husband, supplying him with fruit while encircling his effeminately rounded shoulders with her arm.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Lucas Cranach, the Elder

Title

The Fall of Man

Place

Germany (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1509

Medium

Woodcut in black on ivory laid paper

Dimensions

Image/block/sheet: 34.5 × 24 cm (13 5/8 × 9 1/2 in.)

Credit Line

The Joseph Brooks Fair Collection

Reference Number

1962.113

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/88490/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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