The Prodigal Son, 3rd plate (L'enfant prodigue)

About this work

This etching shows a bearded man kneeling in a rocky landscape, his arms outstretched as if reaching for something. His body is wrapped in a loose, flowing cloth, and his face is turned slightly upward, looking lost or weary. Tall grasses and a few scattered plants frame him, while the ground beneath his knees is rough and uneven. The artist used fine, layered lines to create texture—notice how the folds in his cloth and the rocks look almost three-dimensional. This was done with etching and drypoint, where the metal plate is scratched to hold ink. Look up technique: etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how these methods work.