The Discovery of Adam and Eve, James Barry, c. 1792 - c. 1795
This depiction is inspired by Paradise Lost, John Milton’s epic poem from 1667. In it, Adam and Eve are seduced into sex by Satan, and then driven out of Paradise by God. The drama of the Fall of Man is captured by Adam’s powerless gesture towards Eve and his Creator. The expressive nudes are inspired by Michelangelo and embody the ambitions of the great printmaker Barry.