Expulsion of Adam and Eve

By John Faed, 1880s
JPG • 2645 × 3400 PX • 1.1 MB
Curatorial Notes

John Milton's epic poem Paradise Lost (1667) was the principal literary source for John Faed's depiction of the expulsion of Adam and Eve. The archangel Michael directs the couple away from the lush gardens and heavenly radiance of Eden, while Satan in the form of a snake appears in the right foreground. In most representations of the subject, Michael guards the gates of Paradise with a fiery sword, as prescribed in both Genesis and Paradise Lost. Faed, on the other hand, has him brandishing a compass, an instrument traditionally employed by God the Father in his act of creating the world.

Artwork Identification

Title Expulsion of Adam and Eve
Title (PT) Expulsão de Adão e Eva
Title (ES) Expulsión de Adán y Eva
Artist John Faed
Artist Bio John Faed (Scottish, 1820–1902)
Date 1880s
Work Type Painting

Location & Collection

License Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0
Ars Sancta