The Fall of Man
Medium
engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet: 28.5 x 38.1 cm (11 1/4 x 15 in.) (trimmed within plate mark)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen
Accession Number
2012.92.562
Art Historical Context
Behold *The Fall of*, a captivating 160 engraving by Jacob Matham, meticulously crafted after a design by the renowned Dutch artist Hendrik Goltzius This print depicts the biblical moment of Adam and Eve's temptation and expulsion from Eden, a timeless theme rich in moral and symbolic depth. Goltzius, a master of Northern Mannerism, was celebrated for his dynamic compositions and swelling line technique, which Matham—his talented pupil and son-in-law—expertly translates here. Produced during the Dutch Golden Age's early stirrings, it reflects the era's fascination with classical mythology blen...