The Prodigal Son Tending Sheep, from 'Recueil d'estampes d'après les plus célèbres tableaux de la Galerie Royale de Dresde' 1730 - 1786

Simon Fokke made this print, The Prodigal Son Tending Sheep, sometime in the 18th century. It reproduces a painting then in the Royal Gallery of Dresden. The tale of the prodigal son was a common subject for artists in Europe at this time. The story is biblical; it speaks to both the mercy of God and to a social order based on forgiveness. Here, the son is shown as a broken man, humbled by experience. He's literally on his knees, and reduced to working as a lowly shepherd. Fokke’s image tells us about the importance of the Dresden gallery as a cultural institution and the print market by which paintings were widely disseminated and appreciated. It makes us think about the role of art in spreading moral messages to a wide public, which is something we can study through archival records of printmaking and distribution in 18th century Europe.