Artwork
Expulsion from Paradise
Expulsion from Paradise is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Albrecht Altdorfer. It dates from 1513 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Albrecht Altdorfer’s woodcut *Expulsion from Paradise*, created around 1513, portrays the biblical moment when Adam and Eve are driven from Eden. Executed on laid paper, the print captures the dramatic departure of the first humans under the watch of an armed angel, set against a turbulent, cloud‑filled sky that emphasizes the gravity of the scene.
Subject & Meaning
The composition illustrates the theological narrative of humanity’s loss of innocence, with the angel’s raised sword symbolizing divine judgment.
The composition illustrates the theological narrative of humanity’s loss of innocence, with the angel’s raised sword symbolizing divine judgment. Adam and Eve appear anguished, their bodies turned away from the garden, embodying the sorrow and disorientation that accompany exile. The work thus serves as a visual meditation on sin, punishment, and the transition from paradise to a world of moral struggle.
Technique & Style
Altdorfer employs bold, intersecting lines and dense cross‑hatching to model figures and landscape, creating a pronounced contrast between illuminated foreground and a dark, stormy background. The woodcut’s texture conveys depth, while the stark chiaroscuro heightens emotional tension. This intricate handling of line and shade reflects the artist’s skill in rendering complex narratives within the limited medium of print.
Context
Working in Regensburg, Altdorfer was a leading figure of the Danube School, a movement noted for integrating expressive natural settings into religious and historical subjects. His interest in treating landscape as an autonomous element placed him among early innovators who expanded the visual vocabulary of the German Renaissance. The print also aligns with the output of the Nuremberg Little Masters, known for finely detailed, small‑scale engravings.
History & Provenance
The woodcut was produced in the early sixteenth century, likely for a devotional audience familiar with biblical iconography. While specific ownership records are scarce, prints of this type were commonly distributed among collectors and religious institutions, facilitating the spread of Altdorfer’s distinctive blend of narrative and landscape across northern Europe.
Artist & collection
Artist
Albrecht Altdorfer (c. 1480 – 12 February 1538) was a German painter, engraver and architect of the Renaissance working in Regensburg. Along with Lucas Cranach the Elder and Wolf Huber he is regarded to be the main…
