The Art Institute of Chicago
Adam and Eve
Description
Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn's etching of Adam and Eve, depicts the story of the first Man and Woman with descriptive, wiry lines that create an evocative atmosphere. Shown at the moment of temptation, the couple is surrounded by light that seems about to be blotted out by the dark tree branch and leering serpent (the devil) stretching ominously above them. With their fleshy bodies and ordinary faces (so far removed from Dürer's idealized pair), Rembrandt's Adam and Eve are easy to identify with; their confusion, temptation, and choice become ours.
Provenance
Adolf Schwartz, Amstelveen, Holland [invoice]. Sold by Robert Light, Santa Barbara, Calif., to the Art Institute, 1987.
Dimensions
16.2 × 11.6 cm (6 7/16 × 4 5/8 in.)
Movement / Period
Accession No
70019
Official Citations
Curatorial Affinity Stream
Continuing the Universe of Rembrandt van Rijn Dutch, 1606-1669
Baroque • Holland • Harmonious Works & Contemporaries
Continuous Discovery