The Expulsion from the Garden of Eden
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The Expulsion from the Garden of Eden (Italian: Cacciata dei progenitori dall'Eden) is a fresco by renowned early-Renaissance artist Masaccio. The fresco itself was painted on the wall of Brancacci Chapel, in the Santa Maria del Carmine church in Florence, Italy. It depicts a famous scene in the Hebrew Bible (or the Christian Old Testament), the expulsion from the garden from Genesis 3, albeit with a few differences from the canonical account.
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[edit] Differences from Genesis
Two main inconsistencies exist in this painting that serve to deviate it from the account as it appears in Genesis:
- First and most dramatic of all, Adam and Eve are shown in the nude. Although this increases the drama of the scene, it differs from Genesis xxx.21 which states, "And the LORD GOD make skin coats for the human and his woman, and He clothed them."{quoted from Robert Alter's recent translation}. It is not until verse 24 that the two are driven out of the garden.
- Secondly, only one angel is present. Genesis xxx.34 states that Cherubim were present at the entrance ('-im' being the Hebrew plural ending).
The arch depicted at the garden entrace also does not appear in the Biblical account.
[edit] Possible sources of inspiration
Many possible sources of inspiration have been pointed out that Masaccio may have drawn from. For Adam, possible references include numerous sculptures of Marsyas (from Greek Mythology) and certain crucifix done by Donatello.
For Eve, art analysts usually point to different versions of Venus Pudica, such as Prudence by Giovanni Pisano and that shown here.
[edit] Defacing and restoration
Three centuries after the fresco being painted, Cosimo III de' Medici came to power. Viewing nudity as disgusting, he ordered that fig leaves be drawn to conceal the more questionable areas of the figures. (see iconoclasm)
This was eventually removed in the 1980's when the painting was fully restored and cleaned.
[edit] Symbolism
There are multiple renditions of the symbolism of this painting. One school of thought teaches that the painting is not meant to be symbolic, but only as a reminder of original sin and man's separation from God. Another perspective is as follows.
This painting is quite indicative of the Renaissance mindset through the symbolism scattered throughout it. To understand the symbolism, one must understand that the painting consists predominantly of four things: Adam and Eve, the angel, the wilderness, and the arch. And all of these things work together to paint a sort of behind-the-scenes painting of the Classical and Middle Ages.
In this manner of interpretation, Adam and Eve are symbolic of the entirety of humanity (as, indeed, they were in their own time). The angel is the Catholic Church, standing in as the "messengers of God" (our word 'angel' comes from the Greek αγγελος or 'angelos', meaning "angel" or "messenger"). The arch (built in Roman or Classical style, similar to the Arch of Constantine in Rome) would then symbolise the glory of the Classical Age, contrasted in this picture with the desolation of Catholic-controlled Europe.
So, God (through his messenger the Catholic Church) evicts mankind from the perfect garden (the "paradise" of the Classic World) into the desolate wasteland (the Dark Ages).
[edit] Influence on Michelangelo
Masaccio provided a large inspiration to the more famous Renaissance painter Michelangelo, due to the fact that Michelangelo's teacher, Ghirlandaio, looked almost exclusively to him for inspiration for his religious scenes. Ghirlandaio also imitated various designs done by Masaccio. This influence is most visible in Michelangelo's "The Fall of Man and the Expulsion from the Garden of Eden" on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
