Artwork
Expulsion from Eden
Expulsion from Eden is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jan Pietersz Saenredam. It dates from 1604 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Jan Pietersz.
About this work
Overview
Saenredam’s 1604 engraving, executed on laid paper, portrays the biblical episode of Adam and Eve’s removal from Paradise.
Jan Pietersz. Saenredam’s 1604 engraving, executed on laid paper, portrays the biblical episode of Adam and Eve’s removal from Paradise. The composition centers on three figures being driven outward from a densely vegetated garden, accompanied by a winged presence that appears to compel their departure. The work exemplifies early‑17th‑century Northern printmaking, combining narrative clarity with intricate line work.
Subject & Meaning
The image interprets the Genesis account of humanity’s exile, emphasizing the forceful separation of the first couple and their offspring from a lush, idealized landscape. The inclusion of a cherubic, winged figure suggests divine agency, while the tangled foliage underscores the loss of innocence and the chaotic transition from a harmonious garden to a hostile world.
Technique & Style
Saenredam employs dense cross‑hatching to model forms, creating a range of tonal values solely through intersecting lines. This method renders the foliage, rock, and drapery with a sense of depth, while the stark black outlines isolate the figures against the busy background. The engraving reflects Northern Mannerist tendencies toward elaborate detail and dynamic composition, yet retains a disciplined linear structure.
History & Provenance
Active in the late 1500s and early 1600s, Saenredam was known for prints that drew on classical and biblical themes. The *Expulsion from Eden* is among his religious series and predates the more famous architectural interiors painted by his son, Pieter Jansz Saenredam. The print’s survival on laid paper indicates it was likely intended for a limited, educated audience familiar with devotional imagery.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Pieterszoon (abbr. Pietersz.) Saenredam (c. 1565 – 6 April 1607) was a Dutch Northern Mannerist painter, printmaker in engraving, and cartographer, and father of the painter of church interiors, Pieter Jansz…
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