Artwork
Adam and Eve Lamenting over the Body of Abel
Adam and Eve Lamenting over the Body of Abel is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Paolo de Matteis. It dates from 1688 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the Old Testament episode of Adam and Eve mourning over the body of their slain son Abel, the first murder recorded in Genesis.
The painting depicts the Old Testament episode of Adam and Eve mourning over the body of their slain son Abel, the first murder recorded in Genesis. Adam, Eve, and Abel are named as the figures portrayed, framing the work as a religious narrative scene drawn from the opening book of the Bible. The composition centers on grief and loss, presenting the primal parents in lamentation over Abel's corpse, a subject that invites reflection on mortality, the consequences of sin entering the world, and the rupture of innocence within the first family.
By focusing on mourning rather than the violent act itself, the image emphasizes human sorrow and the cost of fratricide, giving the scene a devotional character suited to its classification as religious art.
Technique & Style
Paolo de Matteis executed Adam and Eve Lamenting over the Body of Abel in 1676 using oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 206 cm in height and 153 cm in width, presenting a substantial religious composition. As a painting classified within the religious genre, the piece depicts the biblical figures Adam, Eve, and Abel, utilizing the fluidity and layering potential characteristic of oil media on canvas.
History & Provenance
Adam and Eve Lamenting over the Body of Abel was created by Paolo de Matteis in 1676, executed in oil on canvas. The painting entered the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Denmark, where it is currently held. No further details regarding its commission, earlier ownership, or chain of custody prior to its acquisition by the museum are documented in the available sources.
The painting is held by the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, where it is inventoried as accession KMSsp719.
It appeared in the museum’s 2017 reinstallation of its Italian Baroque gallery, titled “Barok i Italien 1600–1750,” which ran from 15 December 2017 to 15 December 2019.
Legacy
The painting's later influence is noted through its inclusion in major collections and scholarly attention, particularly its presence at the Statens Museum for Kunst where it continues to be studied as an example of 17th-century religious art and as part of Paolo de Matteis's oeuvre. Its legacy reflects ongoing recognition of its emotional depth and technical execution within the context of Baroque painting, though specific later interpretations or movements directly citing it are not documented in the provided sources.
Overview
Paolo de Matteis’s oil on canvas, dated 1688, presents a somber biblical scene titled “Adam and Eve Lamenting over the Body of Abel.” The composition gathers three nude figures within a dimly lit, rocky setting, emphasizing their emotional state rather than narrative detail. The work is part of the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.
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