Adam and Eve beneath the Tree of Knowledge 1941

Svend Rathsack carved "Adam and Eve beneath the Tree of Knowledge" in Denmark using plaster. The story of Adam and Eve is central to understanding Western ideas about morality, sin, and gender roles, so representing it in the public space of a museum takes on a lot of social meaning. Rathsack's figures are heavily influenced by classical sculpture, but what might a contemporary audience have made of this couple at the moment of their transgression? How might they have understood it? Was it an allegory of the troubles of the time? Why did Rathsack choose plaster, a medium often used for preparatory models? To really dig into this work, we can look at exhibition histories, reviews, and Rathsack's other sculptures. By understanding the social and institutional context, we gain a fuller appreciation of the ideas the artist was trying to express.