The Return of the Prodigal Son
Posted by Anonymous | | Posted On Tuesday, March 4, 2008 at 9:35 AM
~ Rembrandt
To see a truly humongous version of the painting click here
I really love Rembrandt's paintings, although many of my favorites are his lesser works and sketches. He constantly does a fantastic job at putting layers upon layers of imagery inside of his paintings. I thought it was appropriate, after the great teaching on forgiveness, to look at one of my favorite paintings - The Return of the Prodigal Son. It has always done a fantastic job of bringing the message home for me. With the newly returned son at his father's feet and family looking on - weary but reverent, the scene has a sting to it . . . but the mercy that is present simply blows me away.
The father in the painting does a great job of metaphorically representing God. He is old and wise with his age, and it is evident that he has a passion and love for his son. His son would have rather had his father dead, yet here is that father showing him a great deal of love and compassion. The son is back because he is at the end of his rope. His head is shaved in slave fashion, his clothes tattered and dirty, and his sandals worn and spent, with one having fallen off of his foot and the other almost completely broken. He does not look up at his father, but instead, gaze is not up into the father’s eyes but instead to the side, in shame and sadness.
One of the smaller details which is easy to miss is the father's hands. The father's left hand grasps his son's shoulder with a definite strength, with fingers spread. Rembrandt manages to show him not only touching his son in embrace, but holding him as well. The right hand is much more tenderly posed, with an elegance lost to the firmness in its counterpart. It instead rests on the shoulder as if mid-stroke, ready to offer the comfort only a parent can provide. He is both firmly holding and gently caressing at the same time.
I also like the fact that it does not really seem like this story has come to a close in the painting. I do not think that the son has had some wonderful awakening and changed all of his ways. Yet one look at the father shows that his mercy and love for his children is unending, and that forgiveness is always there. There is a mercy that will always restore.
So I was looking at this in truly humongous form and I was going to say something about the hands (it seems to be my theme), but then I read the rest of your post and you said it for me!
I really love this painting, though.
And I really like your blogs because they're so artsy. And interesting.
Thank you for the enlightenment, Drew!
TYhat is awesome man. Our God is such a loving and forgiving God. |We are so blessed. All the pictures you find man are so awesome. Keep runnin the race you been runnin brother.
Be encouraged, my young/old son.
God has AMAZING things for you.
Sometimes you scare me. See, it's always the quiet ones. You never expect them to go all orbital.
You have never cased to amaze me. ever. You were born great and you have only confirmed it again and again.
I love you.
that is probally one of my favorite stories in the bible because we can all probally relate to it at one time or another.
Drew, im really thankful for all that you give to people, your time,money, whatever because you dont give out of your abundance and thats awesome and i know that God totally honors your heart and commitment. Your awesome and i pray for you to have enough time and patience for school and everything else in your life and God would always show you what He is doing around you. Have a nice day.
May I suggest Henri Nowwen's "Return of the Prodigal Son"? It's an amazing study of the Rembrandt painting and bibical story.
I have heard of that book but I've never actually read it. I'll have to dig up a copy and give it a try. I've heard great things, and anything that combines Rembrandt and Jesus is okay by me.