The Sin

If there was one standout from the SerpentiForm exhibition, then a strong candidate would be “The Sin” by German artist Franz Stuck. The painting, which is undoubtedly one of the smartest applications of the snake in a painting, depicts Eve with a serpent draped around her. We can also see how her face is painted in a somber light, while the surroundings are dark and her body bright.

What makes “The Sin” so brilliant is that the painting is very conscious of its viewers. At first glance, viewers are immediately drawn to her face and the hissing snake. With the knowledge that the woman is Eve as well as the original story where the serpent tempts Eve, it is easy to assume that the snake in the painting is, once again, painted as the antagonist.

Interestingly it is actually not the snake that embodies