Fragment of a Floor Mosaic: Adam and Eve

Description

This mosaic panel representing the Fall of Adam and Eve once formed part of a much larger mosaic decorating the floor of an early Byzantine church in northern Syria. Here, Adam and Eve are portrayed sharing the forbidden fruit while covering themselves with large leaves. At the top of the panel, a Greek inscription reads, "And they ate and they were made naked," recalling the biblical text (Gen. 3:7) and highlighting the two moments in the biblical narrative of the Fall that are depicted here.

Provenance

(J. J. Klejman, New York).

Fragment of a Floor Mosaic: Adam and Eve

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late 400s–early 500s CE

Accession Number

1969.115

Medium

marble and stone tesserae

Dimensions

Overall: 142.9 x 107.3 x 5.7 cm (56 1/4 x 42 1/4 x 2 1/4 in.); Mounted: 142.9 x 107.3 x 7 cm (56 1/4 x 42 1/4 x 2 3/4 in.)

Classification

Mosaic

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

John L. Severance Fund