Eve with a Pomegranate. 1880. Oil

While Eve is usually depicted holding the forbidden apple as she falls into sin, in Johann Köler’s painting she is tempting Adam, and indirectly the viewer as well, with a pomegranate.
This fruit is also rich in symbolism. In Christianity, the pomegranate represents the congregation, the priesthood or the Virgin Mary. In the secular world, it can represent the love for one’s fatherland, or it can be the sign of a ruler. But in Eve’s hand, it can be interpreted as representing life and fertility: Eve became the mother of the human race; her name is derived from the Hebrew word meaning “giver of life”.

Johann Köler (1826–1899) was the first Estonian painter with an academic education; he worked primarily in St. Petersburg and earned the recognition of his compatriots and the local art public.