De verloren zoon als varkenshoeder 1550 - 1587

Abraham de Bruyn created this tiny engraving, titled "The prodigal son as swineherd", in the late 16th century. De Bruyn, working in Antwerp, operated within a society deeply influenced by religious reform and the rise of humanism. This image depicts the biblical parable of the prodigal son, who, after squandering his inheritance, is reduced to tending pigs. Look closely at the son, kneeling in destitution amongst the swine. The emotional weight of the scene is palpable. He is a figure stripped bare, his identity and social standing erased. His posture suggests a moment of profound self-awareness. The surrounding landscape, with its distant windmills and modest cottage, emphasizes the distance between his former life and his current state of hardship. The choice to depict the son as a swineherd carries its own cultural baggage. Pigs were often associated with impurity and degradation. De Bruyn captures the psychological transformation of the son, not as a symbol of moral failure, but as a story of humility and potential redemption.