3-016-025 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Cain killing Abel, 1524. The story is recounted in the Book of Genesis and tells of Cain's jealousy of his younger brother, whose sacrifice is preferred by God. Cain kills Abel and is condemned to be an outcast in the lands 'east of Eden'. In this engraving, the bearded and clearly older figure of Cain is about to land the death blow on the youthful Abel's exposed neck with the jawbone of an ass.