Original Sin

Probably dating from about 1640, these two panels were painted by Jan Brueghel the Younger, the son of Jan Brueghel the Elder. The fact that they are exactly the same size suggests that they were part of a single work, together with other paintings, all based on the first chapters of the Book of Genesis. In terms of subject and composition, the general format is clearly derived from his father’s works, even though the quality is considerably lower, as can be seen, for example, in the ungainly, impossible position of Eve in the scene of the original sin.