Adam and Eve

Rubens finished his apprenticeship in 1598 and established his own workshop after passing the master's exam before the Guild of Saint Luke. Before leaving for Italy in 1600 he painted a number of works including this one. Later the artist became almost a specialist in nudes, creating an aesthetic canon that was known as "Rubensesque", but when he painted this image he still had not reached these full, rounded figures that characterise his art. Both the figure of Adam and that of Eve exhibit a certain classical beauty, inspired by Italian paintings that the painter was aware of through his master, Otto Vaenius, who had travelled to Italy. Vaenius was the most important influence in the figures while the landscape could have been inspired by Tobias Veraecht's work, Rubens' second master and a specialist in landscapes. Jan Brueghel's influence has also been made out. The exuberant [Baroque#ESTILOS#8] that characterises Rubens' mature work is not yet present and the scene is transmitted with great serenity, almost statically. Strangely, although the mortal sin has not yet been committed, the forefathers of humanity are already wearing leaves over the most intimate parts of their bodies, taken from the surrounding trees. The master's drawing is of an excellent quality, as is the use of light, colour and the employment of perspective and although the image is somewhat primitive it is in harmony with the Flemish School.