Artwork
Le retour de l'enfant prodigue (3e planche) (The Return of the Prodigal Son) (third plate)
Le retour de l'enfant prodigue (3e planche) (The Return of the Prodigal Son) (third plate) is an ink print by Jean-Louis Forain. It dates from 1909 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Jean‑Louis Forain’s 1909 print *Le retour de l'enfant prodigue (3e planche)* is an etching executed on laid Van Gelder paper.
About this work
Overview
Jean‑Louis Forain’s 1909 print *Le retour de l'enfant prodigue (3e planche)* is an etching executed on laid Van Gelder paper. It forms the third image in a sequence that visualizes the biblical parable of the prodigal son, translating the narrative into a compact, monochrome composition that emphasizes gesture and atmosphere over detailed setting.
Subject & Meaning
The scene centers on a woman crouched beside a modest fire, her hair disheveled and her arms cradling a small child. A second child sits nearby, reaching toward her, suggesting a moment of reunion or shelter. The sparse background—a faint house and a lone tree—keeps attention on the figures’ emotional exchange, evoking themes of return, care, and familial bond.
Technique & Style
Forain employs rapid, scratchy lines characteristic of his printmaking, using the needle to incise swift marks that convey movement and fatigue. The textured laid paper adds a tactile quality, reinforcing the uneven, lived‑in feel of the scene. The overall style balances impressionistic spontaneity with the precise demands of etching.
History & Provenance
Created during the later phase of Forain’s career, the work reflects his broader practice across oils, watercolors, pastels, lithographs, and prints. While Forain enjoyed considerable recognition in his lifetime, his reputation has waned in the decades since. The third plate remains part of the original series illustrating the prodigal son narrative, held in several European print collections.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Louis Forain (French pronunciation: ; 23 October 1852 – 11 July 1931) was a French Impressionist painter and printmaker, working in media including oils, watercolour, pastel, etching and lithograph.
The Prodigal Son
Lourdes, la paralytique (2e planche) (Lourdes, the Paralytic) (second plate)
Two Figures
Le Christ dépouillé de ses vêtements (Christ Stripped of His Clothes)
The Prodigal Son
Untitled
Le Christ dépouillé de ses vêtements (Christ Stripped of His Clothes)
Three Companions (Les trois compagnons)
Group of Figures
Return of the Prodigal Son