The Louvre Museum, Richelieu wing, 2nd floor, room 16
Oil on canvas, 117 x 160 cm
According to Félibien, this canvas was painted for the Duke of Richelieu (nephew of the cardinal) between 1660 and 1664. Also called Le Paradis terrestre (The Earthly Paradise) or Adam et Ève dans le Paradis terrestre (Adam and Eve in the Earthly Paradise), it is part of les Quatre Saisons, a religious and artistic account by Poussin which aims to meditate on the major stages of human life. The theme here is the fertility of nature; we see Eve showing the apple to Adam.
Below are details of the painting :
Spring or The Earthly Paradise is part of The Four Seasons series:
Below is a beautiful engraving by Gerard Audran providing an interpretation of the work, emphasising the luxuriance of nature and adding a certain number of details to the scene:
Details of the engraving by Audran:
