The Parable of the Prodigal Son, No. II: In Foreign Climes 1882

James Tissot's "The Parable of the Prodigal Son, No. II: In Foreign Climes" (1882) is a black and white etching that depicts a scene from the Biblical parable. The artwork shows the prodigal son, dressed in lavish garb, participating in a decadent gathering with other individuals in a foreign land. The scene is filled with exotic details, including oriental lanterns and patterned flooring, which likely represent the son’s reckless spending and his descent into debauchery. This etching is part of a series of works by Tissot illustrating the parable of the Prodigal Son, now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.