De verloren zoon heeft zijn geld verspild en wordt weggejaagd 1581 - 1656

Editor: Here we have Nicolaes de Bruyn’s engraving, “The Prodigal Son Having Squandered His Fortune is Driven Away,” created sometime between 1581 and 1656. I’m immediately struck by the sort of theatrical nature of this scene. How does its historical context inform the way we interpret this kind of public humiliation? Curator: Well, looking at it through a historical lens, this print reflects not only the biblical parable but also the social anxieties of the Dutch Golden Age. Consider how the public display of shame, a form of social control, functioned in that period. What do you make of the body language of the figures surrounding the prodigal son? Editor: They definitely seem to enjoy it, and the women are particularly interesting. Their extravagant clothes make them look wealthy but they also look really cruel. Curator: Precisely. These aren’t merely individuals; they represent a moralizing perspective embedded in Dutch society. The print's public availability via the art market and, now, the museum amplifies its social critique. How does seeing it in the Rijksmuseum affect your interpretation compared to, say, viewing it online? Editor: Being here in the museum heightens my awareness of it as an important artifact, more so than online viewing, I guess. It connects the past and the present in a way I wasn't really expecting, which in turn makes the parable feel relevant. I mean, people will still publicly shame others. Curator: Exactly. So the museum space gives this work an enduring socio-political voice that is not simply limited to its time. Do you agree that art's purpose continues to shape public thought on morals today? Editor: I agree, museums make me rethink so many assumptions about how the past informs today's socio-political realities, as displayed so graphically in this work. Thanks. Curator: My pleasure. Thinking through it together has given me some new angles as well!