The Prodigal Son

Albrecht Dürer

Cleveland Museum of Art

The Prodigal Son by Albrecht Dürer depicts a man on his knees, surrounded by pigs. The man has long curly hair and wears a loose-fitting shirt with billowy sleeves, a sash around his waist, and a short skirt. He faces right and slightly downward. Eight pigs of various sizes surround the man; one large and dark pig has its snout buried in a wooden trough. The man appears to offer food to the pigs from a nearby dish. The background features a village scene with buildings having steeply pitched roofs, some with chimneys and a few windows. A wheelbarrow sits on the ground near a wooden structure on the right. The scene includes a tree with a distinctive rounded crown, and a few birds are visible in the sky. The artwork's monochromatic color scheme and detailed linework are characteristic of an engraving. The composition captures a moment of despair or destitution.