The Expulsion from Paradise, from "The Small Passion", edition Venice

The Expulsion from Paradise, from "The Small Passion", edition Venice by Albrecht Dürer is a woodcut print dated 1612. Although Dürer first executed the woodblocks for this devotional series around 1509-1510, this specific impression belongs to a later, highly desirable Venetian edition, demonstrating the enduring commercial popularity of the German master's work across Europe well into the 17th century.

The composition vividly captures the moment Adam and Eve are driven from Eden. A powerful Angel dominates the scene, positioned centrally and wielding a massive, stylized Swords that physically divides the paradise they leave behind from the difficult world they enter. The two figures stand as the archetypal Female Nudes of art history, their forms conveying immediate shame and regret as they are banished amongst the abundant Trees of the garden. Despite the restrictive size typical of the series, Dürer maintains incredible detail and dramatic tension in this foundational Biblical narrative, utilizing the stark contrast inherent to the woodcut medium.

Dürer was instrumental in establishing printmaking as a high art form, and series like The Small Passion cemented his reputation for meticulous detail and emotional depth. This particular print is held in the extensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because of the historical date of the original woodblock and the subsequent re-editioning, valuable early modern prints like this one sometimes enter the public domain, allowing reproductions of Dürer’s influential artistic legacy to be studied globally, confirming his status as a master of the Renaissance graphic arts.