The Fall of Man
1529
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
sheet (trimmed to plate mark): 11.8 x 7.8 cm (4 5/8 x 3 1/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.5663
Art Historical Context
Behold *The Fall of Man*, a masterful 1529 engraving by Lucas van Leyden one of the Northern Renaissance's most celebrated Dutch printmakers. This intimate work, measuring just 11.8 x 7.8 cm, captures the biblical moment of Adam and Eve's expulsion from Eden, rendered with van Leyden's signature precision Active in Leiden during the early 16th century, drew inspiration from contemporaries like Albrecht Dürer, blending intricate detail with narrative drama in a compact format ideal for collectors and scholars. Van Leyden's engraving technique shines here: fine, cross-hatched lines create depth...
About the Artist
Lucas van Leyden · 1484–1533
Lucas van Leyden (1494–1533) was a Dutch painter and printmaker who stands among the greatest engravers of the Northern Renaissance. Born in Leiden as either Lucas Hugensz or Lucas Jacobsz, he lived and worked primarily in his native city, achieving international renown that rivaled the German master Albrecht Dürer. Lucas van Leyden revolutionized Netherlandish printmaking and was among the first...