“The Vagabond (The Prodigal Son)” is an oil painting on panel created between 1487 and 1516 by the renowned artist Hieronymus Bosch. This work, which belongs to the Northern Renaissance art movement, measures 71 by 70 centimeters and is classified as a religious painting. It is currently housed in the Museum Boijmans van Beuningen in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The artwork portrays a scene from the parable of the Prodigal Son. At the forefront is a weary man in tattered clothing, poised in the act of walking away from a rustic inn depicted on the left side of the painting. His disheveled appearance, with a wide-brimmed hat in hand and a bindle hung over his shoulder, highlights his vagabond status. Behind him, two women are seen exiting the inn, with one peering out a window. Notable details, such as a small dog sniffing at the ground and a cow behind a wooden gate, enrich the composition and imbue it with a sense of everyday life. The background reveals a panoramic landscape, contributing to the depth and realism characteristic of Bosch’s work. The artwork’s somber tones and meticulous details convey the hardships and moral lessons associated with the parable.