Artwork
Der verlorene Sohn
Der verlorene Sohn is an unspecified painting by the Mannerist artist Perino del Vaga. It dates from 1524 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1524, *Der verlorene Sohn* is an oil painting by the Italian artist Perino del Vaga. Executed during the late Renaissance, the work belongs to the Mannerist current and is presently part of the Alte Pinakothek’s collection in Munich. Its subject derives from the biblical parable of the prodigal son, a theme frequently treated by the period’s religious painters.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a solitary male figure, nude and crouched, his head bowed and hands shielding his face. The posture conveys a profound sense of shame and inner turmoil, echoing the moment of repentance described in the parable. By stripping away clothing, the artist intensifies the figure’s vulnerability, inviting contemplation of moral failure and the possibility of redemption.
Technique & Style
Perino employs a stark chiaroscuro, setting the luminous flesh against a deep, almost black background.
Perino employs a stark chiaroscuro, setting the luminous flesh against a deep, almost black background. This contrast heightens the emotional drama and underscores the figure’s isolation. The elongated limbs and exaggerated pose reflect Mannerist tendencies toward artificiality and expressive distortion, while the delicate modeling of skin demonstrates the painter’s skill in rendering human anatomy.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings in the 19th century, where it has remained on display. Its attribution to Perino del Vaga has been consistently affirmed by scholars, based on stylistic parallels with his documented works for the Medici and the Roman workshops of Raphael’s circle.
Artist & collection
Artist
Piero Bonaccorsi (1501 – October 19, 1547), known as Perino (or Perin) del Vaga, was an Italian painter and draughtsman of the Late Renaissance/Mannerism.
Siddende mandlig model
Siddende mandlig model
Saint Sebastian
Johannes der Täufer
Johannes der Täufer
Kain und Abel (?)
Et l'homme parut, interrogeant le sol d'ou il sort et qui l'attire, il se fraya la voie vers (And Man appeared; questioning theearth from which he emerged and which attracts hi m, he made his way toward somber brightness)
Atlas
Der hl. Hieronymus
Study for Prayer for Death in the Desert
Männliche Aktstudie
Cato the Younger's Death