The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise

Art Historical Context

Benjamin West's *The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise* (1791) is a monumental oil on canvas painting, measuring 187 x 278 cm, that the dramatic biblical moment from Genesis when humanity is cast out of Eden. As a leading Anglo-American artist and second president of London's Royal Academy, West masterfully blends Neoclassical precision with emerging Romantic emotion, using the large-scale format typical of grand history paintings destined for public or institutional display. Painted during the Enlightenment era, when artists revived classical themes to explore human morality and divine order, this work reflects West's innovative approach to biblical narratives. His dramatic chiaroscuro lighting heightens the tension—Adam and Eve's anguish contrasts with the radiant gates of Paradise—drawing viewers into the eternal drama of sin and redemption. West, who bridged colonial America and European academies, often infused such scenes with theatricality inspired by his time in Italy. Acquired through the Avalon Fund and Patrons' Permanent Fund for the National Gallery of Art, this piece exemplifies 18th-century history painting's cultural role: educating and morally elevating audiences amid revolutionary upheavals. A timeless reminder of paradise lost, it invites reflection on humanity's origins.

About the Artist

Benjamin West · 1738–1820

Benjamin West, born on October 10, 1738, in Springfield, Pennsylvania, emerged as one of the most influential painters of his era despite being entirely self-taught. Growing up in a Quaker family in colonial America, West displayed prodigious talent from childhood, creating portraits and religious scenes with materials gifted by local patrons. By his late teens, he had garnered enough support to t...