Albrecht Dürer

One of Dürer’s earliest engravings in a good strong Meder d-e impression, printing clearly and with good contrasts. Trimmed to or just within the platemark. Dürer's engraving deviates from the biblical text (Luke 15:11–32) and breaks with the traditional representation. Instead of taking place in a field, the scene is now set in the courtyard of a farmstead, ingeniously located next to the village church. Indeed, it was with this depiction of the prodigal son that the narrative assumed unprecedented popularity in the visual arts, with artists such as Lucas van Leyden and Hans Sebald Beham quoting the pose of Dürer’s kneeling figure in depictions of the son’s repentance and return. – A small skilfully repaired split at the upper sheet edge and at upper right, several small, inconspicuous thinned spots towards the upper sheet edge, otherwise in good condition.