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The Expulsion: M.2-1885

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Object information

Current Location: Founder's Entrance Hall Upper Landing

Titles

The Expulsion

Maker(s)

Sculptor: Wiles, Henry

Entities

Categories

Description

Group. White marble. Two nude figures (Adam and Eve). Adam has his right hand to his head and holds Eve's right hand in his left and over his shoulder. She has her right hand to her head and is looking backwards. This figure group shows a remorseful Adam and Eve making their way out of the Garden of Eden, having disobeyed God and been expelled from paradise. The quotation on the base is the final sentence of John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost. First published in 1667, it is an ambitious rewriting of the Fall of Man and is one of the most influential poems ever written in the English language.

Legal notes

Bequeathed by the Rev. E.W. Blore, Fellow of Trinity College

Place(s) associated

  • London ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1885-07-03) by Blore, E.W., Rev.

Dating

19th Century, Late#
Production date: AD 1871

Note

Henry Wiles (1838-1930) was the son of a Cambridge-based stonemason. Having attended the Perse School in Cambridge, Wiles subsequently trained at the Royal Academy and was awarded a two-year travelling studentship in 1869, which he used to study sculpture in Rome and Naples.

This figure group shows a remorseful Adam and Eve making their way out of the Garden of Eden, having disobeyed God and been expelled from paradise. The quotation on the base is the very final sentence of John Milton’s epic poem 'Paradise Lost'. First published in 1667, it is an ambitious rewriting of the Fall of Man and is one of the most influential poems ever written in the English language.

This sculpture is dated 1871, and so must have been produced immediately after Wiles’ return from Italy. It was bequeathed to the Museum by the Reverend Blore in 1885, just 14 years after it was made, so it is likely that he was the first owner and perhaps commissioned the work.

People, subjects and objects depicted

Project

  • Sculpture UK

Components of the work

Plinth Height 1 1/8 in
Base Height 2 in
Figures Height 37 1/8 in

Materials used in production

White marble

Techniques used in production

Carving : White marble

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: Henry Wiles/Sculptor/LONDON 1871
  • Location: Back right corner of base
  • Method of creation: Inscribed
  • Text: They hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow, Through Eden took their solitary way.
  • Location: On front and back of base
  • Method of creation: Inscribed

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.2-1885
Primary reference Number: 30941
External ID: CAM_CCF_M_2_1885
Sketchfab model
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 18 December 2023 Last processed: Monday 18 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "The Expulsion" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/30941 Accessed: 2024-11-21 21:48:49

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/30941 |title=The Expulsion |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-21 21:48:49|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-30941

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        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">The Expulsion</figcaption>
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