The Creation and Fall of Man
- Artist: Mariotto Albertinelli
- Date: 1513-1514
- Medium: oil on panel
- Museum: The Courtauld Gallery
- Collection record: The Courtauld Gallery website
Listen to the free audio guide
About this artwork
This is the “The Creation and Fall of Man” by Mariotto Albertinelli, painted in 1513‑1514 with oil on panel. Notice how the narrative is split into four distinct scenes that flow from left to right. First, God creates the animals, a lush, almost pastoral backdrop that sets the tone for the rest of the piece. In the second panel, the divine breath animates Adam, while the third shows the moment Eve is fashioned from Adam’s rib – a tender, almost tenderized gesture that feels very intimate. Finally, the fourth panel introduces the serpent with a human face, slyly tempting the newly‑created couple to bite from the forbidden tree, a moment that foreshadows their eventual exile.
Albertinelli didn’t paint this in isolation; it was commissioned by the Florentine banker Giovanmaria Benintendi. The work was meant to be part of a decorative paneling scheme in his family’s palace, so the rolling hills and river in the background echo the countryside outside Florence, giving the piece a sense of place that feels both grand and relatable. The use of oil allows for subtle gradations of light and shadow, especially in the serpent’s gleaming skin and the soft, flesh tones of Adam and Eve. All together, it’s a masterful visual recounting of a pivotal biblical moment, brought to life through Albertinelli’s careful composition and delicate palette.
See it in person
The Creation and Fall of Man hangs in The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House, London. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
