Which Baroque painter painted “The Return of the Prodigal Son” (c. 1669)? Rembrandt painted it.
The work is an oil painting on canvas, generally dated 1661–1669, and is now in the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. It shows the biblical moment when the younger son returns home after wasting his inheritance. Rembrandt emphasizes the father’s compassionate embrace rather than the son’s earlier wrongdoing.
The painting belongs to the final phase of Rembrandt’s career and is among his last major works. Its subdued palette, powerful chiaroscuro, rough yet expressive brushwork, and psychological intensity are characteristic of his late style. The father’s hands have often been discussed because they appear deliberately different, suggesting both paternal strength and maternal tenderness.
A common mix-up is confusing this painting with Rembrandt’s earlier treatments of the same parable, including a 1636 etching and other drawings and paintings. The figures in the background are not all identified with certainty, and the older brother’s judgmental presence adds a second layer to the story: forgiveness is difficult not only for the repentant son, but also for those who believe they remained loyal.