1635
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
The Prodigal Son: The Return of the Prodigal is a 1635 by Abraham Bosse, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This engraving shows four people in a dimly lit room with a window opening to a stormy landscape. On the left, a boy in a loose robe leans on a pillar, looking out. In the center, a man kneels on the floor, hugging another person who’s lying down. Behind them, a statue holds a spear, and a dog lies on the ground. The scene feels tense, with dark shadows and dramatic light. The boy’s pose and the text below hint at a story about regret and forgiveness. The mix of light and shadow makes the figures stand out sharply against the background. Next, look up chiaroscuro to see how artists use light and dark for drama.
Abraham Bosse (c. 1604 – 14 February 1676) was a French artist, mainly as a printmaker in etching, but also in watercolour.
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