Two Episodes from the Parable of the Prodigal Son: The Prodigal among the Harlots

Art Historical Context

This magnificent South Netherlandish tapestry titled *Two Episodes from the Par of the Prodigal: The Prodigal the Harlots*, dates around 1510–25 and was woven by an unknown artist using a wool warp with wool and silkfts. Measuring an impressive 103 by 74½ inches, it captures key moments from the biblical parable in Luke 15, where the wayward son squanders his inheritance in riotous living among harlots, highlighting themes of folly, excess, and eventual redemption. The detailed scenes feature men and women in vibrant, luxurious attire, evoking the moral lessons popular in late medieval and early Renaissance devotion. Netherlandish tapestries from this era were prized luxury goods, often produced in workshops like those in Brussels or Arras, renowned for their technical mastery. The use of silk wefts alongside wool created shimmering highlights and rich colors that endured over centuries, making these works both decorative and narrative powerhouses for churches, palaces, and noble homes. This piece exemplifies the region's dominance in tapestry production during the Northern Renaissance, blending intricate figural weaving with symbolic storytelling. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Medieval Art Department as part of The Lillian Stokes Gillespie Collection (bequest of 1915), it invites visitors to ponder the prodigal's indulgent downfall—a timeless cautionary tale rendered in sumptuous threads that still dazzle today.