The Prodigal Son, 6th plate (L'enfant prodigue) 

Alphonse Legros created this etching titled 'The Prodigal Son, 6th plate' to illustrate the famous parable. Born in France in 1837, Legros lived through a period of significant social upheaval and industrial change, including the Franco-Prussian War. These experiences shaped his understanding of human suffering. Legros’s depiction of the Prodigal Son is one of acute, desolate poverty. Stripped bare of his former life of privilege, the son's vulnerability is palpable as he kneels, his gaze cast downward in shame or remorse. The only object he carries with him is a walking stick, a symbol of his isolation. Consider the history of the parable itself: it is a story deeply embedded in the Christian tradition, one that explores themes of repentance, forgiveness, and redemption. Legros encourages us to consider the psychological weight of the son’s journey. He asks: what does it mean to return, and what must one confront upon doing so?