The Prodigal Son Receiving his Patrimony
PrintmakerEtched by
Amos Doolittle
(American, 1754 - 1832)
PublisherPublished by
Shelton & Kensett
(American, founded 1813)
Date1814
MediumEtching and stipple; printer's ink and watercolor on wove paper
DimensionsPrimary Dimensions (image height x width): 12 5/8 x 9 3/4in. (32.1 x 24.8cm)
Sheet (height x width): 13 5/8 x 10 1/4in. (34.6 x 26cm)
ClassificationsGraphics
Credit LineMuseum purchase
Object number1978.34.0
DescriptionTwo men stand beside a table which is covered with a tablecloth. An elderly man is seated in an armchair at the left. He is wearing a wig and holds eyeglasses in his right hand. All three men wear coats, vests, breeches, hose, and shoes with buckles. Some have lace cuffs or stocks. Three piles of coins are arranged at the back of the table. Additional money is scattered at the front of the table. A writing set, consisting of an ink well, another container, and a quill pen in a tray with a handle, is at the right. A framed landscape is on the wall at the left. An urn or finial is on a pedestal beneath it. Bookcases containing books are in the rear wall. One bookcase, with double doors, may also contain a safe. A globe of the world is in a stand in the right background. A patterned carpet is on the floor.
Label TextAmos Doolittle's four prints of The Prodigal Son include elements from Connecticut portrait paintings of the late 18th century, situating the Biblical parable in a setting that would have been immediately familar to contemporary viewers. Like many of Doolittle's prints of the Prodigal Son, this one was printed on a sheet of paper that had previously been used for a large map.
NotesSubject Note: The etching was printed on a sheet of paper that had already been used for a large map. A portion of this map, showing the confluence of the Mississippi River with the Ohio River is on the verso of this impression. (Finlay 2/3/2011).Status
Not on view
