The Prodigal Son

Abraham Bosse

Cleveland Museum of Art

The image depicts a black-and-white illustration of a scene from "The Prodigal Son" by Abraham Bosse. The scene shows a man in 17th-century clothing standing at the entrance of a house, looking at another man sitting at a table with two women. The man standing wears a large hat, a short jacket, and knee-high socks. The man sitting at the table has a white wig, a jacket, and a shirt. The two women wear long dresses and hats. The interior of the house has a large window with a decorative frame and a curtain. To the left, a man in a hat and cloak walks away from the house and toward a landscape with a city, a horse, and a dog. The illustration is surrounded by an ornate border with flowers and leaves. The bottom of the image features a block of small text in French. The overall atmosphere suggests a biblical scene. The illustration style and clothing indicate it is from the 17th century.