The Prodigal Son Demanding his Inheritance
This engraving illustrates an episode from the parable of the Prodigal Son. The younger son asks his father for his share of the inheritance while the more responsible older brother stands behind his father's chair. The younger brother will travel and sqander the money before returning home penniless, but receive a warm welcome from his father. In Le Clerc's treatment of the subject, the biblic story is set in a fashionable eightheenth-century interior.
The print was part of a set of six plates advertised in the 'Mercure de France' in 1751.
The print was part of a set of six plates advertised in the 'Mercure de France' in 1751.
Artwork Details
- Title: The Prodigal Son Demanding his Inheritance
- Artist: René Gaillard (French, ca. 1719–1790 Paris)
- Artist: After Sébastien Leclerc II (French, Paris 1676–1763 Paris)
- Publisher: Nicolas de Larmessin III (French, Paris 1685–1755 Paris)
- Date: ca. 1751
- Medium: Engraving
- Dimensions: Sheet (Trimmed): 13 7/16 × 15 1/16 in. (34.1 × 38.2 cm)
- Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: Bequest of Mrs. Charles Wrightsman, 2019
- Object Number: 2019.282.99
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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