The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise

By Benjamin West, 1791, retouched 1803
JPG • 3000 × 1969 PX • 1.8 MB
Curatorial Notes

This tumultuous scene shows Adam and Eve, the first man and woman in the Hebrew Bible, being driven out of the Garden of Eden. Benjamin West created it as a preparatory sketch for one of several large paintings intended for a chapel in Windsor Castle, an ancient seat of the British monarchy that was undergoing restoration in the late 18th century. West worked on the project for two decades, but King George III abandoned plans for the chapel’s decoration and the paintings were never installed. One of the earliest American artists to achieve international renown, West spent much of his career in London. There, he served as a teacher and mentor to a generation of younger American artists who trained abroad, including Rembrandt Peale and Thomas Sully.

Artwork Identification

Title The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise
Title (PT) A Expulsão de Adão e Eva do Paraíso
Title (ES) La Expulsión de Adán y Eva del Paraíso
Artist Benjamin West
Artist Bio Benjamin West (American, active England, 1738-1820)
Date 1791, retouched 1803
Work Type Painting

Location & Collection

License Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0
Ars Sancta