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Return of the Prodigal Son
Valentin de Boulogne French
Not on view
Having wasted his inheritance, the prodigal son returns to his forgiving father, who welcomes him with open arms and provides him with fresh clothing. The figure at left is perhaps the prodigal’s older brother, disconcerted by the welcome his wayward brother has received. Valentin treats the biblical parable as a poignantly human story of repentance, forgiveness, and charity, with the viewer imagined less as a passive observer than an engaged witness.
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