I came across a painting of “The Prodigal Son” by contemporary artist, John Hrehov, a professor at Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne. Take a look at it.
I like how the Prodigal Son is looking at the feed with a vacuous desire. He almost looks like one of the pigs, just staring hungrily. The little piglet in his shadow seems to function as the Prodigal Son himself, expressing his hungry desire for the filth that the pigs eat. The moment seems to fall right after he has thrown down the contents of his slop bucket, but right before the pigs have begun eating it. Even the pigs are staring! The painting makes you wonder what’s cooking at the back of the Prodigal’s mind. He’s asking himself those all-important questions, “What am I doing here? How did I get here and how do I get out? What have I done wrong? What is my life all about anyway?” Perhaps right after this little scene, he throws up his hands, drops his slop bucket and runs home.