Panels from Adam and Eve Caskets
Click to enlarge image.
Byzantine (Constantinople), 10th or 11th century
Ivory
Left: Adam and Eve Harvesting
2 3/4 x 3 3/4 in. (7 x 9.5 cm)
Right: Adam and Eve at the Forge
2 5/8 x 3 7/8 in. (6.7 x 9.8 cm)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, N.Y. (17.190.138,139)
The first panel shows Adam and Eve working together in the fields. He swings the scythe, while she carries the harvest on her shoulders. They are both clothed in the standard costume of the working class: he with a belted knee-length tunic and laced boots, she with a long-sleeved ankle-length garment. The second panel depicts Adam and Eve at the forge. She pumps the bellows to keep the fire hot while he hammers at the anvil. The heat of the fire has compelled her to roll up her sleeves; however, she keeps her hair modestly
covered. Their names are inscribed on each of the plaques.
These plaques probably come from a rosette casket that illustrated the story of man's Fall, his consequent expulsion from Paradise, and his subsequent need to labor. They may have conveyed a moralistic message: repent your faults, work hard, and God will reward you. As such, their subject matter and function may be contrasted with boxes that exhibit more playful themes. Adam and Eve caskets may have been given to young couples as wedding gifts exhorting them to industriousness in their marriage; it is interesting to note that here Eve works right alongside her husband as a true helpmeet. Or they simply might have been used to hold money and other valuables.
Classroom Hints:
Notice: activities, poses, material
Discuss: the narrative, writing, proportions
Compare: Casket depicting the Story of Joshua, Casket with Warriors and Dancers
Next Image
Panels from Adam and Eve Caskets