“Adam and Eve Expelled from Paradise,” created by James Ensor in 1887, belongs to the Symbolism art movement and is classified as a religious painting. The artwork depicts the biblical scene of Adam and Eve being expelled from the Garden of Eden, a seminal event in Judeo-Christian theology.
In the foreground, two figures can be discerned fleeing towards the right side of the composition, representing Adam and Eve. Their forms are somewhat obscured, blending into the dark and earthy tones of the ground. The barren and rough terrain exemplifies a sense of desolation and loss. In stark contrast, the upper portion of the artwork is dominated by a bright, ethereal light emanating from a radiant figure, presumably an angel, enforcing their expulsion. The sky is rendered in a myriad of muted pastels, imbuing the scene with a dreamlike and otherworldly quality. The use of color and texture emphasizes the dramatic and emotional impact of this narrative, invoking themes of sin, punishment, and divine judgment.
