The Prodigal Son Feasting with Harlots, plate 2 from The Story of the Prodigal Son

David Vinckboons was born in Mechelen, in the Southern Netherlands, but like many other Protestants he moved to the North to seek religious freedom. He made only three prints himself but his designs were the basis for more prints than any other Netherlandish artist in the early seventeen century. Close to two dozen of these were etched by the influential draftsman, printmaker and publisher Claes Jansz. Visscher. The story of the Prodigal Son is recounted in Luke 15:11-32. It is about forgiveness and redemption and is one of Christ’s most famous parables. The younger son of a wealthy man asks his father for his inheritance and proceeds to quickly spend all his money on dissipated until he is hungry and penniless and returns to beg his father’s forgiveness.


In the second scene, the son, presumably the figure dancing at the left, is in the company of beautifully dressed men and women at a dissolute banquet. They are paired off, eating, drinking, and embracing. On the ground at the end of the table are some stray playing cards. In the background women chase a man in ragged clothes out of an inn – a presentiment of things to come.