The Bible In Paintings: FARMER CAIN and SHEPHERD ABEL

[Hebrews 11:6]

The Bible In Paintings 2
Engravings•Facades•Frescoes•Illuminations•Miniatures•Mosaics•Photographs•Reliefs•Sculptures•Tapestries•Windows

G E N E S I S
CHAPTER 4, VERSES 2-7

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought FAT portions from some of the FIRSTBORN of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. SO CAIN WAS VERY ANGRY, and his face was downcast.

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”

New International Version ©1984, Abrdgd, EMPHASES Added

1
GEORGE RICHMOND
"Abel the Shepherd"

2
RODOLFO AMOEDO
"Abel's Offering"

3
JUAN ANTONIO DE FRÍAS Y ESCALANTE
"Sacrificio de Abel"

4
Source

5
"Cain and Abel"

6
"Sacrifice of Cain and Abel"

7
CLAUDE-JOSEPH VERNET
"Cain and Abel Bringing Their Sacrifices"

8
GIORGIO VASARI
"Sacrificio di Caino e Abele"

9
"Caïn et Abel"

10
JAN VAN EYCK
"The Offering of Abel and Cain"

11
MATEO OROZCO
"Caín y Abel"

12
ARSÈNE ROBERT
"The Sacrifice of Abel"

13
ÉDOUARD DIDRON
"Abel Offre un Sacrifice à Dieu"

14
SIEGFRIED DETLER BENDIXEN
"The Sacrifice of Cain and Abel"

CHAPTER 4, VERSES 8-16

Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”

Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”

But the LORD said to him, “Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the LORD’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

New International Version ©1984, Abrdgd, EMPHASES Added

15
JAMES TISSOT
"Cain Leading His Brother Abel Astray in Order to Kill Him"

16
LORENZO GHIBERTI
"Cain and Abel"

17
TINTORETTO
"Cain and Abel"

18
ADOLF VON HILDEBRAND
"Cain and Abel"

19
F. HORTEMELS
"Cain Bends over the Dead Abel; He Flees in the Background"

20
CORNELIS CORNELISZ VAN HAARLEM
"Cain Killing Abel"

21
V. LEFEBVRE
"Cain Slaying Abel"

22
ALBRECHT DÜRER
"Cain Killing Abel"

23
ABRAHAM BLOEMAERT
"Murder of Abel"

24
ARTHUR SEGAL
"Kain und Abel"

25
ANTONIO BALESTRA
"Abel's Soul Ascends to Heaven"

26
ANDREA SCHIAVONE
"Cain and Abel"

27
BARTOLOMEO MANFREDI
"Cain Kills Abel"

28
NICCOLÒ TORNIOLI
"Caino e Abele"

29
GIOACCHINO ASSERETO
"Cain Kills Abel"

→ a n d... f i n a l l y ←

30
PIETRO NOVELLI
"Cain Killing Abel"

To be continued…

[Hebrews 11:6]

R E S O U R C E S
Read GENESIS 4 in full
Hear MAX McLEAN reading it
Hear a DRAMATIZATION of it
Read J-F-B's COMMENTARY
BIBLE TIMELINE

Click for 10 prior episodes in THIS series:
The Bible In Paintings 2
Click for 434 links in the FIRST series:
The Bible In Paintings 1

CLICK HERE
FOR AN EXCELLENT
8-MINUTE OVERVIEW OF
GENESIS 1-11

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[marktwain]

Are there alternate translations?

So many images show Cain using a club or tool other than a rock.

[Hebrews 11:6]

T E M P T I N G
THE SERPENT TEMPTS EVE
EVE TEMPTS ADAM, 1
EVE TEMPTS ADAM, 2
HIDING FROM GOD
BANISHED FROM THE GARDEN

A D J U S T I N G
AFTER THE GARDEN
FARMER CAIN AND SHEPHERD ABEL
THE FIRST MURDER
THE FIRST FUNERAL

P O P U L A T I N G
NOAH BUILDS AN ARK
THE GREAT FLOOD
THE WATER RECEDES
GOD'S RAINBOW COVENANT
"RIGHTEOUS" NOAH: DRUNK!
TOWER OF BABEL

[Hebrews 11:6]

The text does not specify the method of attack, leaving artists free to speculate. You can view numerous translations here.

[etabeta]

The mastery of Jan van Eyck is evident in #10. From the Ghent Altarpiece, the offerings of Cain and Abel, done in grisaille, look as carved from stone. Its place is just above the figure of Adam while the killing of Able is on the opposite side above Eve.
Some beautiful paintings and, as usual, favorite stained glass windows.

[Hebrews 11:6]

Thank you, Alba.

[left that other site]

Good Morning, Dan! :-)

[Hebrews 11:6]

Greetings, Mary-Lou!

[texas booster]

An excellent posting!

Looking through the artwork it is plain that these artists knew their Bible.

Not just in a modern “yeah I read through it every year” but in a more profound way.

Spending time with G_d ... honored since Adam and Eve.

[Hebrews 11:6]

If I were planning to paint a scene from the Bible, I would take time first to allow the Holy Spirit to inspire and direct me.

[ConorMacNessa]

Good afternoon, Dam, and thanks very much for the compendious array of Art commemorating the first occurrence of sibling rivalry and fratricide.

"Dia shábháil ar fad anseo!"

"God save all here!"

[Hebrews 11:6]

the first occurrence of sibling rivalry and fratricide

Any man with a brother surely understands. Testosterone poisoning..