The Return of the Prodigal Son 1607 - 1654

Gabriel Engels made this painting of a grand architectural vista during the Dutch Golden Age. Dutch painting of this period is famous for its interior scenes. But this image shows us the outside of an idealized building rather than the inside of a domestic space. So what is it doing? The Dutch Golden Age was a period of extraordinary wealth creation in the Netherlands. Newly rich merchants began to buy and commission art to display their status. This vista may show us the kind of structure that a wealthy merchant might have imagined for himself. It is a demonstration of the kind of aesthetic taste that could be bought, and a reflection of the classical styles that were becoming fashionable with the wealthy. To understand images like these fully, the art historian looks at related economic documents and works of art. That way, we can put the image back into its moment in history.