1530
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Fall of Man is a 1530 ink by Lucas van Leyden, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
Lucas van Leyden’s engraving shows Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. A snake coils around the tree as Eve grabs the forbidden fruit. Adam looks unsure but reaches for it too. This isn’t just a Bible scene. The artist packed tiny details everywhere. Look close—you’ll spot animals watching the moment like a crowd. The background’s full of plants and creatures, all carefully drawn. See how the lines vary from thick to thin? That’s called cross-hatching. It makes shadows and textures pop. Check out Lucas van Leyden for more sharp, detailed engravings.
Lucas van Leyden (1494 – 8 August 1533), was a Dutch painter and printmaker in engraving and woodcut. Lucas van Leyden was among the first Dutch exponents of genre painting and was a very accomplished engraver.
See the richer artist page
