Dimensions: support: 1270 x 1526 mm frame: 1415 x 1670 x 70 mm
Copyright: © The estate of Norman Adams | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Curator: Norman Adams painted this large canvas, "Christ's Cross and Adam's Tree," sometime in the 20th century. It hangs here in the Tate collection. Editor: It feels like a dream, doesn't it? A swirl of color, figures emerging from the abstract. Curator: The composition merges the cross with the Tree of Knowledge, uniting the concepts of sin and redemption through potent symbolism. Editor: Yes, and look at the haloed figures at the base. There's such a sense of humility, of quiet suffering amidst all this vibrant chaos. Curator: The swirling colors could represent the emotional turmoil surrounding the crucifixion, or perhaps the blossoming of new life through Christ’s sacrifice. The image certainly connects the Fall with the promise of salvation. Editor: It's a powerful, moving image. I keep seeing new shapes, new stories within it. Curator: A testament to Adams' ability to weave theological depth into a visually arresting form. Editor: Absolutely. A work that invites contemplation and stirs the soul.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/adams-christs-cross-and-adams-tree-t05820
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Norman Adams studied at the Royal College of Art and made an early name for himself as a stage designer. In the following years he received commissions for murals and ceramics. Elected an RA in 1972, Adams became Professor of Painting and Keeper at the Royal Academy in the late 1980s. The title of this painting is taken from a poem by John Donne. It shows the Virgin Mary, St John and Mary Magdalene at the foot of the cross. Adam’s tree, from which the cross was made, stood in the Garden of Eden. Gallery label, September 2004
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