Adam and Eve

German artist Lucas Cranach the Elder painted this Adam and Eve in 1526, one of over 50 versions he created of this subject. The first humans stand in paradise surrounded by wildlife: deer, stags, sheep, and a unicorn in the background. Eve raises the forbidden fruit toward a confused Adam as the serpent coils around the tree of knowledge between them.

Cranach's figures display the elegant, elongated style favored at the Saxon court where he served. Both stand in courtly poses, suggesting the refinement of Cranach's aristocratic patrons. The detailed animals and lush foliage showcase his skill as a painter of wildlife and nature.

As court painter to the Protestant electors of Saxony, Cranach was connected to Martin Luther and the Reformation. Religious subjects like Adam and Eve made popular gifts among Lutheran friends and colleagues. This version hangs at the Museo del Prado in Madrid, considered one of the largest and most beautiful of his many versions.