Still life with an Ant

This painting presents Eve as a figure who marks not the origin of man’s downfall, but the origin of his consciousness. The idea behind this painting is taken from the Genesis “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Thus, for the artist, eating the apple is an experience of enlightenment and self-knowledge.

The apple itself represents knowledge; at the same time, it reminds one of “the green eyed monster” of envy and passion—those powers that may ruin and create at once. In this way, the snake acts as a symbol of transformation, encouraging mankind to move from innocence to knowledge.

The lone ant comes up to the apple in an unusual way of rebellion. Detached from the crowd, he stands for the bravery of the individual, to doubt, to explore, to take his own path in life. Eve, the snake, the apple, and the ant altogether point out that human existence on earth is not defined just by the rules of obedience but also by curiosity, desire, and bravery to look for the unknown.