Rembrandt was moved by the parable of “The Return of the Prodigal Son,” and he made a variety of drawings, etchings, and paintings on the theme that spanned decades. “The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Rembrandt ~~~ “The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Rembrandt Museum: Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden.Also: The Prodigal Son in the Tavern or Rembrandt and Saskia.“The Prodigal Son in the Brothel” by Rembrandt The sole survivor was a son, but Saskia died the year after he was born, aged 29. Three of their children died shortly after birth. Saskia also pressed for a speedy betrothal against all conventions demonstrating that she was a strong and independent character. Saskia fell in love with Rembrandt, who was socially lower and no match for the daughter of a patrician. She was his model for many of Rembrandt’s paintings, drawings, and etchings. Saskia van Uylenburgh (1612 – 642) was the wife of Rembrandt. The painting is signed “REMBRANDT F.” Saskia The left side of the canvas was cut to remove secondary characters and focus the attention on the central theme. The people in the painting have been identified as Rembrandt himself and his wife, Saskia. In the Protestant contemporary Dutch world, the theme of the prodigal son was a popular subject for works of art due to its moral tale. The son has asked his father for his inheritance, and this painting shows him squandering his fortune. “The Prodigal Son in the Brothel” by Rembrandt depicts the extravagance of the prodigal son, as told in the Biblical parable. ~~~ “The Prodigal Son in the Brothel” by Rembrandt The woman at top left, barely visible, is likely the mother, while the seated man, whose dress implies wealth, maybe a friend. The painting includes figures not related to the parable but seen in some of these earlier works. “The Return of the Prodigal Son” is among Rembrandt’s final works, completed within two years of his death in 1669. Standing at the right is the prodigal son’s older brother, who crosses his hands in judgment. It has been suggested that the hands seem to indicate the inclusiveness of both the mothering and fathering gestures. Rembrandt has made the left hand larger and more masculine, and set it on the son’s shoulder, while the right is softer and more receptive in gesture. His father receives him with a tender gesture of his hands, suggesting compassion. The Prodigal Son returns to the farther wishing for forgiveness and a renewed place in the family. Having fallen into poverty and despair, he kneels before his father in repentance. In the painting, the son has returned home in a wretched state after he has wasted his inheritance through wastefulness and extravagance. “The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Rembrandt depicts the moment of the prodigal son’s return to his father. “The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Rembrandt

The medium and the lost brother