De verloren zoon als zwijnenhoeder 1648 - 1706

Salomon Savery made this print, 'The Prodigal Son as Swineherd', in the Netherlands sometime between 1620 and 1678. The prodigal son is a well-known parable about repentance, forgiveness, and the unconditional love of a parent. This image creates meaning through the use of visual codes and cultural references. The story of the Prodigal Son would have been well known in the Netherlands at this time, as would images of daily life. This work is self-consciously progressive in that it does not portray the elites of society, instead focusing on the plight of an everyday man. Looking at the print, we might ask how the institutions of religion and family shaped the production and reception of art. Religious parables like this one often have a moral lesson, and it would be interesting to research the specific cultural and social conditions in the Netherlands that might have made this lesson relevant. It highlights the meaning of art as contingent on social and institutional contexts.