The Parable of the Prodigal Son

At the centre of this New Testament scene is the prodigal son among the prostitutes. The vagrant placing a die on the table in the foreground is a symbol of the poverty that gamblers bring on themselves. The prostitute giving stolen money to a fool symbolises wasteful extravagance. The couple at the extreme left probably represents “Frau Welt” (a woman beautiful from the front, loathsome from behind) and “comfort”, which the prodigal son loses as soon as he has squandered his money. At the back of the picture the repentant son is reaccepted by his father.