In this watercolour Arosenius depicts the Garden of Eden as an island where the tree of knowledge grows. Birds sit in the crown of the tree, which covers the entire...
In this watercolour Arosenius depicts the Garden of Eden as an island where the tree of knowledge grows. Birds sit in the crown of the tree, which covers the entire island. The domesticated animals wander around peacefully in pairs below. A farmer-like Adam walks behind a voluptuous but not idealised Eve. Stylised fish swim around the island.
Above the island, on a throne, is seated God the Father, smiling softly with a distinctly red nose. Behind him the sun appears like a halo, and he is surrounded by trombone-blowing cherubs (see also cat no 25).
The manner in which the title at the top has been written, and the distinctive red and blue hues, relate closely to colours often used regionally both in churches and domestic decorative paintings at the time. It is not impossible that Arosenius was also inspired by the painting 'Neptune and Amphitrite' by Frans Francken the Younger, which is in the Gothenburg Museum of Art. The fish in the sea and the butterfly-like wings of the cherubs are strongly reminiscent of Francken’s work.