Artwork
Eve Tempted by the Serpent
Eve Tempted by the Serpent is an unspecified painting by William Blake. It dates from 1796 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
Eve Tempted by the Serpent is a 1796 religious painting by William Blake, featuring a pivotal biblical scene from the Garden of Eden. The work is characterized by its symbolic depth and imaginative rendering, hallmarks of Blake's artistic style.
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts Eve's encounter with the serpent, set against the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eve stands nude, with her right arm extended, while the serpent, with a human-like head, encircles the tree, its tail forming a circle at her feet.
Technique & Style
Blake employed chiaroscuro to create depth and contrast, juxtaposing light and dark areas. The color palette contrasts the serpent's vibrant yellow, orange, and green hues with Eve's pale skin, set against a predominantly dark blue background accented with light blue and white.
History & Provenance
Created in 1796 while Blake was working in London, the painting is now part of the Victoria and Albert Museum's collection.
Context
This work reflects Blake's emphasis on imagination and symbolic richness, common in his body of work produced during his lifetime in London.
Artist & collection
Artist
William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter and printmaker.
Beatrice Addressing Dante from the Car
The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun
Satan Smiting Job with Sore Boils
The Fall of Man (after Raphael)
Eva cogiendo la manzana
Saint Michael Archangel attacking the dragon
Herakles erlegt den Adler des Prometheus
Satan and Death with Sin Intervening
The Freeing of Andromeda