The Expulsion from Paradise

Although this panel looks like an independent whole, it is only a fragment of a larger painting. Judging by the partially visible cracks on the panel, the original dimensions must have been horizontal. This Expulsion from Paradise probably formed the background scene of an Annunciation. It was a very common combination in Florentine painting, as the expulsion from paradise symbolises the Fall of mankind, while the announcement of the coming of Christ heralds the redemption of mankind. As such, Eve and the Virgin Mary are each other’s opposite. The direction of the shaft of light shows that God the Father is focused on the Annunciation rather than on the sinners Adam and Eve. To the right of the angel with the sword are the tips of the wings of Gabriel, the angel of the Annunciation. The four short horizontal boards of the panel confirm that the work originally had other dimensions. Unfortunately, the much larger missing part has not yet been found.