Fotoreproductie van fresco De schepping van Eva door Rafaël en Giulio Romano, Vaticaan c. 1860 - 1900

This is a photographic reproduction by Fratelli Alinari of a fresco, The Creation of Eve, made in the Vatican by Raphael and Giulio Romano. Looking at the image, we see how it visualizes a pivotal moment from Genesis: God presenting Eve to Adam. The fresco was made in the early 16th century, a period when the Catholic Church was a central authority, deeply intertwined with the production and patronage of art. Renaissance artists often drew on biblical and classical themes to express humanist ideals about mankind's place in the world. The creation of woman—of Eve—marks a vital moment in the Bible, one with heavy implications for societal structures and gender roles. How might this image have served to reinforce or challenge contemporary ideas about the relationship between men and women in the culture of its time? To investigate further, we might examine theological texts, art historical scholarship, and social histories that reflect on the cultural status of women in the Renaissance. Understanding this artwork requires us to recognize that its meaning is always contingent upon the social and institutional contexts in which it was created and viewed.