The story of Cain and Abel is the first in a series of tales of fraternal rivalry in the book of Genesis. It has attracted much attention from Jewish, Christian and Muslim artists, who express their understandings of the meaning of the story in the details of their artwork. The depiction of Cain and Abel in art history shows how a biblical story can take on new meanings over the centuries and remain relevant.
The story of these two brothers epitomises not only the first murder in human history, but also the deeper themes of brotherhood, conflict and the human capacity for violence. Explains medieval pictures of Abel and Cain and their relation to Christian theology and scriptural commentaries in the Middle Ages. Cain and Abel (Italian: Caino e Abele) is an oil painting by the Venetian painter Titian.
It was made in about 1543-1545 for the church of Santo Spirito, but is now in the basilica of Santa Maria della Salute. The elder, Cain, was "a tiller of the ground," while his brother, Abel, was "a keeper of the sheep." Both made offerings to God, Abel offering up a lamb (the smoking fire from his burnt offering is shown behind the figures). "And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering; But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.
The parallel postures of Cain and Abel (both stride toward the center of the panel, both cover their hands with draped cloths, both look upward) make this look like a competition. In the second panel, Cain holds Abel down with his foot and twists his brother's neck and head grotesquely, before being exiled by the Lord. The artwork "Cain and Abel" by Titian, created between 1542 and 1544, is a significant piece within the Mannerism movement of the Late Renaissance.
This oil on panel painting measures 298 by 282 centimeters and falls under the genre of religious painting. In this dramatic composition, Titian explores the biblical narrative with an emotional intensity that is characteristic of his style. 'Cain and Abel' is a relatively early work of Jacopo Tintoretto, but this picture proved Tintoretto to be a true genius and powerful master of an art that he would bring to full glory in the subsequent canvases of the Scuola di San Rocco.
This semi-circular ivory plaque is carved with the biblical narrative of Genesis 4:2-4, describing the offerings to God made by the sons of Adam and Eve. Above, the Hand of God emerges from a cloud to bless Abel, who stands at the left holding a lamb, while at the right, Cain and his offering of a sheaf of wheat are not blessed. Scenes of the Sacrifice of Cain and Abel were often used on.
Cain and Abel Cain and Abel were sons of Adam and Eve, the first humans according to the Bible. The Bible mentions a third son: Seth. Cain was a farmer, Abel a shepherd.
Related works of art: Blake, William: Cain flees (1825) Coxcie, Michiel: The Death of Abel (c. 1550) Il Tintoretto: Cain and Abel (1550-53) Lastman, Pieter: The Lamentation of.