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Primary sourcePainting1504

Adam and Eve

Albrecht Dürer · 1504

An engraving by Dürer of Adam and Eve at the tree of knowledge, showing his study of ideal human proportion.

Dürer engraved and signed this print, showing his mastery of the burin and his study of ideal human proportion.

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Engraving of Adam and Eve, nude, standing on either side of a tree; Adam holds a branch and Eve takes fruit from a serpent. A parrot perches above, a tablet reads Albrecht Durer 1504, and a cat, rabbit, ox and stag appear.
Albrecht Dürer, Adam and Eve, 1504. Princeton Art Museum.

About this source

What it is

This is an engraving made by Albrecht Dürer in 1504, now held by the Princeton Art Museum. It is the only print Dürer signed with his full name rather than his usual monogram.

Why it matters

The print shows Dürer's deep interest in classical ideas of perfect bodily proportion, applied to the biblical figures of Adam and Eve. Surrounding animals such as the cat, rabbit, ox and stag are thought to carry symbolic meanings. The work reflects how Dürer combined Northern European craftsmanship with ideas he had absorbed about Italian Renaissance art and the human form.

Look closer

  • Why might Dürer have chosen to sign this print with his full name instead of his usual monogram?
  • What might the animals around Adam and Eve represent?
  • How does Dürer use fine engraved lines to suggest the texture of skin, fur and leaves?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Albrecht Dürer on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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