1626
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Adam cultivating the Earth is a 1626 by Francesco Villamena, a Baroque work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This print shows a man, woman, and child working in a wooded area. The man stands holding a staff, the woman kneels with a child on her lap, and another child plays nearby. A dog sits at their feet, and a man in the background carries a bundle on his back. The scene is detailed with trees, rocks, and a fence in the distance. The text at the bottom is in Latin, referencing the Bible’s story of Adam working the land. This print uses shading to create depth in the figures and landscape. Check out the Baroque movement for more dramatic, detailed art like this.
The print *Adam cultivating the Earth* by Francesco Villamena (1626) depicts Adam tilling the soil outside Eden, accompanied by the Latin inscription *"Adam extra paradisum terram cum labore colit."* Executed as an etching on paper, the work is part of a series of twenty prints derived from Raphael’s frescoes in the Vatican’s Loggie, often called the *Raphael Bible.*
Read the full account in the museum source.
Francesco Villamena (1564–1624) was an Italian engraver, drawing teacher and art collector.
See the richer artist page
