Expulsion from Paradise
1540–83
Medium
Etching; first state
Dimensions
Sheet: 3 1/8 × 4 3/16 in. (7.9 × 10.6 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011
Accession Number
2012.136.195
Tags
Art Historical Context
Etienne Delaune's *Expulsion from Paradise*, between 1540 and 1583, captures the dramatic biblical moment when Adam and Eve are cast out of the Garden of Eden by a stern angel. This intimate etching, measuring just 3 1/8 × 4 3/16 inches, exemplifies the French artist's mastery of small-scale printmaking during the Mannerist period. Delaune, a versatile goldsmith and engraver influenced by the Fontainebleau School, infused his works with elegant, elongated figures and intricate details reminiscent of Italian masters like Rosso Fiorentino. As a first-state etching—a rare, unaltered proof before...
About the Artist
Etienne Delaune · 1514–1583
Comment on works: Draftsman; Engraver; Medalist