The Fall of Man, from "The Small Passion"

The Fall of Man, from "The Small Passion," by Albrecht Dürer, is a highly influential woodcut created around 1510. This pivotal image belongs to Dürer's celebrated "Small Passion" series, which condensed the narratives of Christ’s life into 36 intricate prints designed for widespread circulation and devotional use. Dürer’s mastery of the woodcut medium transformed what was typically a crude reproductive process into an expressive art form that defined the standard for graphic arts in the Northern Renaissance.

The scene focuses on Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden just before or during their transgression. Dürer meticulously details the lush, dense environment of Paradise. Eve, positioned near the Tree of Knowledge, accepts the forbidden fruit offered by the Serpent, which wraps menacingly around the central trunk. Dürer adheres to established iconography while incorporating subtle symbolic elements that reference the consequences of the Fall. A representation of lust is often symbolized by the nearby Goat or satyr, while the untamed, fallen state of nature is perhaps suggested by the presence of a Boar rooting in the background.

This intricate woodcut showcases Dürer’s profound understanding of line and shadow, achieving a sense of depth and volume rarely seen in printmaking of the period. The success of the "Small Passion" helped establish Dürer as a dominant artistic figure. While the original impressions are carefully preserved, the enduring popularity of these religious prints means high-quality reproductions are widely available in the public domain. This impression of The Fall of Man is held in the extensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.