De verloren zoon verkwist zijn geld c. 1548

Dirck Volckertsz Coornhert created this engraving, "The Prodigal Son Squandering His Wealth," capturing a pivotal moment from the biblical parable. Here, we witness the son amidst revelry, a scene dominated by symbols of excess. Wine flows freely, music fills the air, and figures indulge in earthly pleasures. Observe how the motif of the feast—a gathering of abundance and indulgence—resonates across cultures. We see echoes in ancient Roman banquets and bacchanalian festivals, all celebrating the senses, often to a point of folly. Consider the lyre, played here as a mere accompaniment to debauchery; it once symbolized Apollo's harmony and enlightenment. Its descent into the background noise of revelry mirrors the son's own fall from grace. The scene evokes a powerful psychological tension, the fleeting joy of immediate gratification versus the looming consequences of waste. This image serves as a potent reminder of how symbols evolve and are reinterpreted, reflecting our enduring struggles with temptation, morality, and the cyclical nature of human experience.