Who painted The prodigal son?

The prodigal son was painted by Barent Fabritius in 1661.

Where can I see The prodigal son?

The prodigal son is held by Rijksmuseum.

The prodigal son by Barent Fabritius (1661)

About this work

Technique & Style

The work is a large-scale religious painting measuring 95 cm in height and 290 cm in width, depicting the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

Created in 1661, The Prodigal Son by Barent Fabritius is executed in oil paint on a canvas support. The work is a large-scale religious painting measuring 95 cm in height and 290 cm in width, depicting the Parable of the Prodigal Son. As a significant example of religious art from the Dutch Golden Age, the piece is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum and the Evangelisch Lutherse kerk.

The extensive horizontal format suggests a composition designed to accommodate a complex narrative scene typical of the genre.

History & Provenance

Barent Fabritius painted The prodigal son in 1661 as an oil on canvas work measuring 95 cm by 290 cm. The painting belongs to the religious genre and depicts the Return of the Prodigal Son, reflecting the Parable of the Prodigal Son. It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum and the Evangelisch Lutherse Kerk, where it has remained since its creation.

The painting is held by the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam and is accessioned under the inventory number SK-C-5. It was created by Barent Fabritius in 1661 as an oil on canvas work titled The Prodigal Son, depicting the Return of the Prodigal Son. The artwork has been part of the museum’s collection since its acquisition and was featured in the exhibition "Rijksmuseum Masterpieces" in 2015.

Overview

Barent Fabritius, a Dutch painter born in 1624, completed the oil work The Prodigal Son in 1661. The composition presents an interior scene divided into two groups: a well‑dressed man in red and gold converses with a dark‑cloaked figure, while a shirtless youth lies on the floor being tended by a woman and a man in brown. Light streams through arched windows, illuminating faces and garments against deep shadows.

Subject & Meaning

The painting visualises the biblical parable of the prodigal son’s return, emphasizing the moment of reconciliation and forgiveness. The exhausted, naked youth represents the repentant son, while the surrounding figures, family members and servants, suggest a domestic setting in which the moral lesson of redemption is enacted.

Context

Fabritius worked alongside his brothers in a workshop shaped by Rembrandt’s dramatic lighting and narrative clarity. The choice of the prodigal son theme aligns with 17th‑century Dutch interest in moralizing biblical stories, often rendered for private devotional settings.

Artist & collection

Artist

Barent Fabritius

Barent or Bernard Pietersz Fabritius (or Fabricius) (bapt. 16 November 1624 – bur. 20 October 1673), was a Dutch painter. Fabritius was born at Middenbeemster, North Holland, the son of Pieter Carelsz. Fabritius. He…