L’’Expulsion d’’Éden
John Martin, a self-taught artist who started by painting coats of arms on carriages, usually loved painting the end of the world with massive crowds and fire. Here, he gives us a surprisingly intimate moment: Adam and Eve huddled together, looking utterly defeated as they trudge away from a massive, gnarled tree. The vast, empty landscape stretching into the distance feels lonely and daunting, perfectly capturing the shock of getting kicked out of paradise. It’s a classic Romantic mood—tiny, vulnerable humans overwhelmed by the grandeur and gloom of nature.
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