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The Prodigal Son Taking Leave of His Father

Mary Ann Willson

1815

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century Interior

Dominant colour

The Prodigal Son Taking Leave of His Father is a 1815 ink by Mary Ann Willson, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Mary Ann Willson
When & what style?: 1815 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This watercolor shows a quiet moment between two men in fancy clothes. One wears a blue coat and a top hat, holding hands with the other man, who’s dressed in a long brown coat. A dog sits nearby, and in the background, a woman in green and a child are half-hidden behind a curtain. The room has a striped wall and a small table with a birdcage on it. The title says this is about a son leaving his father, but the artist didn’t paint it in a dramatic way. Instead, it’s simple and a little sad, focusing on the small details like the dog or the curtain. If you like this style, look up watercolor, glazing to see how artists build colors layer by layer.

About the artist

Artist

Mary Ann Willson

Mary Ann Willson (active 1810 to 1825) was an American folk artist whose work remained undiscovered for over a century, until it appeared in an exhibition of American Primitive paintings in 1944.

See the richer artist page