Expulsion of Adam and Eve | John Faed | c. 1880

Expulsion of Adam and Eve by John Faed is a late-19th-century religious painting executed in oil on fabric, created around 1880 by the Scottish artist John Faed (1819–1902). The work measures approximately 91.3 cm × 70.7 cm and is held in the Cleveland Museum of Art, though it is not currently on display. Faed’s composition interprets the biblical story of Adam and Eve’s banishment from Eden through the lens of John Milton’s Paradise Lost, with the archangel Michael shown directing the first humans out of paradise and a serpent figure appearing in the foreground, symbolizing Satan’s influence. Unlike more traditional depictions that emphasize Michael’s flaming sword, Faed gives the angel a compass-like instrument, a choice that reflects both creative interpretation and the era’s renewed interest in literary and religious themes in art. This painting exemplifies 19th-century British religious art and Faed’s skill in combining narrative clarity with academic technique.