Die Ausschweifungen des verlorenen Sohnes 

Pietro Testa created this drawing, “Die Ausschweifungen des verlorenen Sohnes”, using pen and brown ink, with a brown wash. It is now held in the Städel Museum. The overall composition presents a scene teeming with figures set within an architectural framework of columns and arches, delineated with precise lines. The artist's handling of light and shadow creates a dynamic interplay, guiding the eye across the composition, from the foreground figures to the background revellers. Testa uses visual elements to destabilize established meanings. The presence of a monkey chained in the foreground, juxtaposed against the opulence and bacchanal in the background, hints at a critique of the moral decay within the scene. The characters are outlined with swift, calligraphic strokes, enhancing the dramatic tension. The loose application of the brown wash blurs the line between the foreground and background, creating an uneasy viewing experience. Through the interplay of line, tone, and composition, the drawing invites us to consider the complex dynamics of moral interpretation and the subtle gradations of meaning embedded within the visual structure.