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The Prodigal Son is an unsigned 1618 painting byPeter Paul Rubens. It is now in theRoyal Museum of Fine Arts, Antwerp as catalogue number 781 - the Museum bought it via the Paris-based art dealer Léon Gauchez in 1894.[1] The work was examined during the 2007 Rubens research project[2][3][4][5][6]
It shows the point in theparable of the prodigal son where the protagonist is forced to live as a swine-herd (Luke, 15: 15–16). Preparatory drawings for it survive in theChatsworth collection and theAshmolean Museum, whilst the final work was engraved bySchelte Adamsz. Bolswert.[7] The work was mentioned in Rubens' will, implying it was still in his studio on his death in 1640. It is known to have been owned by a Mrs Spangen in Antwerp in 1771, who probably bought it via the Antwerp-based art dealerDiego Duarte. It was later recorded as being owned by Edward Ravenell and the Antwerp resident Pieter van Aertselaer. In 1823-1824 it was offered for sale by John Smith and at some time after that in the 1820s and/or 1830s it was owned by the English portraitistThomas Lawrence.
It was recorded in 1836 in the collection ofWilliam Wilkins and at an auction of his collection two years later it was bought by a man named Farrer or Farrar, who quickly sold it on toAndrew Fountaine. It was seen in Fountaine's collection in 1854 by a man named Waagen or by one A. Wertheimer (sources differ). It was exhibited at theRoyal Academy'sOld Masters and deceased masters of the British School in 1880 before being bought by its present owner.[8]
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