Prodigal Son, The Return 1882

James Tissot created this oil on canvas painting, 'The Return of the Prodigal Son', to illustrate a scene from the New Testament. The biblical story tells of a young man who squanders his inheritance and returns home in disgrace, only to be welcomed back with open arms by his forgiving father. Tissot, a French artist working in the late 19th century, updates the parable, setting it on a ship. We see the son, dishevelled, kneeling before his father, a well-dressed man who seems to have been waiting for him. In the background, other passengers disembark, seemingly oblivious to this emotional reunion. The artist's choice to depict the scene on a ship is interesting. This was a time of great social change and upheaval, with many people leaving their homes in search of new opportunities. It suggests that, like the prodigal son, many people in Tissot's time were searching for a place to belong. To understand this painting better, we might research the social and economic conditions of 19th-century France, as well as the religious beliefs and practices of the time. By understanding the context in which it was made, we can begin to appreciate the full meaning of this powerful image.