Eva wordt misleid door de slang bij boom der kennis van goed en kwaad 1581 - 1656

This print, "Eva wordt misleid door de slang bij boom der kennis van goed en kwaad" – or Eve misled by the serpent at the tree of knowledge of good and evil - was created by Nicolaes de Bruyn. Made from ink on paper, De Bruyn’s image would have been produced by applying ink to a metal plate, likely copper, incised with lines to hold the ink. The plate is then pressed onto paper, transferring the image. The resulting image, printed in multiples, echoes the bible story of the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve and the Tree of Knowledge. By making it a print, de Bruyn ensured that the narrative would circulate widely. He was leveraging a system of production geared towards multiplication and distribution, much like the serpent’s temptation, the knowledge of good and evil spreads. This reproductive quality contrasts with older modes of production, in which images and stories were unique and scarce. De Bruyn has therefore created a commentary on the story through his choice of material and process.