Expulsion of Adam and Eve

painting by Masaccio

Also known as: “Expulsion from Paradise”, “The Expulsion”

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June 26, 2026

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Masaccio's fresco, Expulsion of Adam and Eve (c. 1427), powerfully conveys the anguish of Adam and Eve as they are cast out of the Garden of Eden. This artwork is renowned for its dramatic use of light and shadow to depict their emotional distress. The expulsion signifies humanity's descent from innocence to a sinful world, a core concept in Christian doctrine known as the Fall of Man. After disobeying God by eating the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve were banished, marking the beginning of human suffering and mortality. Masaccio's work is a significant example of Early Renaissance art, breaking from medieval traditions by depicting figures within a realistic space governed by natural laws of light and perspective.12

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Masaccio
The Brancacci Chapel
…for the following sections: the Expulsion from Paradise (or Expulsion of Adam and Eve), St. Peter Baptizing Neophytes, Tribute Money, St. Peter Enthroned as Bishop of Antioch, St. Peter Healing with His Shadow, Distribution of the Goods of the Church and the Death of Ananias, and part of the Raising…
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…for the following sections: the Expulsion from Paradise (or Expulsion of Adam and Eve), St. Peter Baptizing Neophytes, Tribute Money, St. Peter Enthroned as Bishop of Antioch, St. Peter Healing with His Shadow, Distribution of the Goods of the Church and the Death of Ananias, and part of the Raising…
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