The Prodigal Son among the Swine
1638
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1638
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This black-and-white print shows a man lying on the ground, half-naked and exhausted, with one arm raised toward a tree. Around him, pigs root in the dirt and shadows, while a sky full of swirling clouds looms above. The lines are rough and deep, making the scene feel dramatic and urgent. The artist used a technique that scratches into metal plates to create the dark lines—this is called etching. The scene looks like it’s straight from a story, with the man’s pose showing both defeat and longing. Next, look up etching to see how artists like this made prints before photography.
