Roundel with feast upon the return of the prodigal son, ca. 1520
Glass roundel, painted and silver-stained
Diameter31 cm
Place of originLeiden
About the workThe conclusion of the biblical story of the prodigal son is depicted on three different planes. At the very back, the father’s celebration of the younger son’s repentant return is barely discernible. In the middle, the older and more obedient brother can be seen complaining to his father: he feels neglected because the calf in the foreground is not being slaughtered for him. The nakedness of the figures and the round-arched architecture reflect the sixteenth-century interest in the culture of antiquity. At the same time, the father’s turban indicates that the story is set in the Middle East.
Accession
Bequest of Laurenz Heinrich Hetjens, accessioned 1929
Provenance[...]; 1.9.1929 erhalten aus dem Nachlass Laurenz Heinrich Hetjens (Düsseldorf 16.7.1830 - 1906 Düsseldorf)
Inventory numberP 1929-228