The Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt: what it depicts
The Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt
Two hands
The son kneels with his back to us, head shaved, one shoe gone, and the father bends over him with both hands on his shoulders. Look at the hands: the left is broad and strong, the right is slender and gentle — a father's hand and a mother's, on the same back. To the right the elder brother stands and watches, hands clasped, unable to join in. Everything else is in shadow. Rembrandt painted it in the last year or two of his life, bankrupt and bereaved, and it is the picture people mean when they say he understood forgiveness.
Henri Nouwen's book of the same name, written after days in front of the canvas, made it one of the most reflected-upon paintings in Christianity.
The Hermitage
Bought for Catherine the Great in 1766, and in the Hermitage in St Petersburg ever since.
About this print
Made from the Hermitage's photograph of the painting, 8,140 pixels tall.
Sources: State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, ГЭ-742 · Wikidata Q512755 · Wikimedia Commons
Who Made It
Created by Rembrandt. Painted in 1669. Oil on Canvas.
More like this: Parables, Dutch Golden Age, Baroque
All Available Options
Below is a list of all available sizes and product types.
| Type | Size | Color | Price | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canvas | 8″ x 10″ (Vertical) | - | $32 | In Stock |
| Canvas | 9" x 12" (Vertical) | - | $33 | In Stock |
| Canvas | 11″ x 14″ (Vertical) | - | $38 | In Stock |
| Canvas | 12″ x 16″ (Vertical) | - | $46 | In Stock |
| Canvas | 16″ x 20″ (Vertical) | - | $54 | In Stock |
| Canvas | 18″ x 24″ (Vertical) | - | $51 | In Stock |
| Canvas | 24" x 30" (Vertical) | - | $114 | In Stock |
| Canvas | 24" x 32" (Vertical) | - | $114 | In Stock |
| Canvas | 30" x 40" (Vertical) | - | $140 | In Stock |
| Canvas | 36" x 48" (Vertical) | - | $230 | In Stock |
| Framed | 8″ x 10″ (Vertical) | Black | $57 | In Stock |
| Framed | 8″ x 10″ (Vertical) | Espresso | $57 | In Stock |
| Framed | 8″ x 10″ (Vertical) | White | $57 | In Stock |
| Framed | 9" x 12" (Vertical) | Black | $63 | In Stock |
| Framed | 9" x 12" (Vertical) | Espresso | $63 | In Stock |
| Framed | 9" x 12" (Vertical) | White | $63 | In Stock |
| Framed | 11″ x 14″ (Vertical) | Black | $74 | In Stock |
| Framed | 11″ x 14″ (Vertical) | Espresso | $74 | In Stock |
| Framed | 11″ x 14″ (Vertical) | White | $74 | In Stock |
| Framed | 12″ x 16″ (Vertical) | Black | $88 | In Stock |
| Framed | 12″ x 16″ (Vertical) | Espresso | $88 | In Stock |
| Framed | 12″ x 16″ (Vertical) | White | $88 | In Stock |
| Framed | 16″ x 20″ (Vertical) | Black | $110 | In Stock |
| Framed | 16″ x 20″ (Vertical) | Espresso | $110 | In Stock |
| Framed | 16″ x 20″ (Vertical) | White | $110 | In Stock |
| Framed | 18″ x 24″ (Vertical) | Black | $126 | In Stock |
| Framed | 18″ x 24″ (Vertical) | Espresso | $126 | In Stock |
| Framed | 18″ x 24″ (Vertical) | White | $126 | In Stock |
| Framed | 24" x 30" (Vertical) | Black | $206 | In Stock |
| Framed | 24" x 30" (Vertical) | Espresso | $206 | In Stock |
| Framed | 24" x 30" (Vertical) | White | $206 | In Stock |
| Framed | 24" x 32" (Vertical) | Black | $182 | In Stock |
| Framed | 24" x 32" (Vertical) | Espresso | $182 | In Stock |
| Framed | 24" x 32" (Vertical) | White | $182 | In Stock |
| Framed | 30" x 40" (Vertical) | Black | $220 | In Stock |
| Framed | 30" x 40" (Vertical) | Espresso | $220 | In Stock |
| Framed | 30" x 40" (Vertical) | White | $220 | In Stock |
Image: source, Public domain (work and photograph).
Shipping & Returns
All items are custom-made just for you! We partner with trusted print providers for fulfillment. Orders ship in 3-5 business days, with delivery in 5-10 business days.
Reviews
No reviews of The Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt yet — here is what customers say about the prints they bought from us. We invite every customer to write one after their print arrives, and we publish them whether or not they are flattering.
From our customers
- Fantastic print, makes me happy
Arrived great, definitely feels good in the hand & quality frame
Thomas · The Incredulity of Saint Thomas