Roundel with the Prodigal Son among the Swine
Unknown Artist
ca. 1530–35
Medium
Colorless glass, silver stain, vitreous paint
Dimensions
Overall Diam.: 9 1/2 in. (24.1 cm)
Classification
Glass-Stained
Culture
German
Department
The Cloisters
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cloisters Collection, 1932
Accession Number
32.24.42
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate roundel captures a poignant moment from the biblical Parable of the Prodigal Son, showing the wayward youth humbled among the swine after squandering his inheritance. Created around 1530–35 in Germany, the circular panel would have originally been set into a window, offering viewers a moral lesson on repentance and redemption. The unknown artist rendered the scene with careful attention to the figures’ expressions and the animals’ forms, inviting quiet reflection on human frailty. Crafted from colorless glass using silver stain and vitreous paint, this medium allowed for fine li...