Who painted The Prodigal Son, 2nd plate (L'enfant prodigue)?

The Prodigal Son, 2nd plate (L'enfant prodigue) was painted by Alphonse Legros in 1874.

Where can I see The Prodigal Son, 2nd plate (L'enfant prodigue)?

The Prodigal Son, 2nd plate (L'enfant prodigue) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Prodigal Son, 2nd plate (L'enfant prodigue)?

The Prodigal Son, 2nd plate (L'enfant prodigue) is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of The Prodigal Son, 2nd plate (L'enfant prodigue)?

Museum-quality prints of The Prodigal Son, 2nd plate (L'enfant prodigue) are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Prodigal Son, 2nd plate (L'enfant prodigue)

Alphonse Legros , 1874

The Prodigal Son, 2nd plate (L'enfant prodigue) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Alphonse Legros. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Alphonse Legros’s *The Prodigal Son, 2nd plate* is an 1874 print executed in both etching and dry‑point. The work presents a somber, wooded setting in which the biblical figure of the wayward son is shown at the moment of his return. The composition is dominated by dense, tangled trees and a dimly lit horizon, creating a mood of introspection and reconciliation.

Subject & Meaning

The image captures the narrative episode from the Gospel of Luke when the prodigal son, having squandered his inheritance, comes back to his father’s house. Legros isolates the figure within a foreboding forest, suggesting the emotional turmoil and moral reckoning that accompany the act of repentance. The subdued lighting underscores the theme of redemption emerging from darkness.

Technique & Style

Legros employed a combination of traditional etching and the more immediate dry‑point method, incising sharp, deep lines into a copper plate. The resulting marks are uneven and vigorous, rendering the bark of the trees and the uneven ground with a tactile quality. This approach, typical of late‑19th‑century printmakers, emphasizes texture and emotional intensity in the landscape.

History & Provenance

Born in France, Legros moved to London in 1863, where he quickly became a central figure in the revival of British etching. *The Prodigal Son, 2nd plate* was produced shortly after his establishment at the Royal Academy, reflecting his growing reputation as a versatile artist working across painting, sculpture, and printmaking. The plate remains in several public collections.

Context

The print belongs to a period when artists revisited religious subjects through a realist lens, often employing stark natural settings to convey psychological depth. Legros’s choice of a dark forest aligns with contemporary trends that favored atmospheric chiaroscuro and expressive line work, linking the work to both the Etching Revival and the broader Victorian interest in moral narratives.