The Return of the Prodigal Son

The Return of the Prodigal SonThe subject is from Christ's parable in Luke XV: having squandered his inheritance, the Prodigal Son is generously received by his father. When this painting entered the collection at Dulwich Picture Gallery, it was attributed to Ribera. More recently it has been given to the Master of the Annunciation to the Shepherds, a mysterious artist active in Naples in the 1630s, although the author of this picture is probably rather someone from his close

A sketch for the ceiling of the salone of the Villa Cordellina at Montecchio Maggiore

It is probably one of his last: in 1658

He is intending to crown the victor of the fight that takes place centre stage

The detail of the sticky honey pouring out of the tree and the bees flying out of their hive is beautifully rendered

the child appears to be tearing pages from a book and mussel shells litter the floor

Ozias Linley (1761-1831) was the third son and least musical of Thomas Linley's eight surviving children

saying she became a Catholic convert and entered a convent at Croyden

This has been confirmed by x-ray which also shows a second portrait

the composition becoming more open

Sluijter-Seiffert cautiously expresses some doubt as to the attribution (letter on file

The barge - shown here on its return to land - was the last 'Bucintoro'

see Mannings and Postle