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Parable of the Prodigal Son

Maker

(artist)
1633-1703

Formerly attributed to
Jerónimo de Bobadilla (artist)
1620-1709

Title

Date of Production

1600 - 1699

Medium

charcoal, pen and brown ink, brown wash, some lines reinforced in black chalk, squared in black chalk, with brown ink framing lines at three edges, on laid paper

Dimensions

Height: 26.5 cm
Width: 39.6 cm

Accession Number

D.1952.RW.35

Mode of Acquisition

Robert Clermont Witt, bequest, 1952

Credit

The Courtauld, London (Samuel Courtauld Trust)

Copyright

Work in the public domain

Location

Not currently on display

Keywords

Label Text

In the biblical story (Luke 15: 11-32), the Prodigal Son claims his inheritance and leaves home. Having squandered his money, he returns, repentant, to his father, who forgives him lovingly. This carefully rendered drawing simultaneously unites several scenes from the biblical narrative in a festive architectural setting typical of the rare works of Matias Arteaga. The sheet may have been preparatory for a print by this Andalucian artist, as its scale, detail, and narrative economy recall the sensibility of a book illustrator.

Provenance

Sir William Stirling Maxwell, London (1818-1878); by descent to his son, Sir John Stirling Maxwell, Glasgow (1866-1956); his sale, Sotheby's (London), 15 - 16 February 1921, lot 249; presumably purchased there by E. Parsons & Sons (London); their sale, cat. 38, 1921, lot 367; purchased there by Sir Robert Witt (1875-1952) (£3.95); Witt Bequest 1952

Exhibition History

The Spanish Line - From Ribera to Picasso, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 13/10/2011-15/01/2012

Spanish drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1978 (March - May)

A selection of Spanish drawings from the Witt Collection, The Courtauld Gallery, London, 1956 ...More

Old Masters from the Witt Collection, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 01/01/1943-01/05/1943 ...Less

Literature

El Hijo prodigo de Murillo y el arte de narrar en el Barroco andaluz, Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, 21 Sept. 2021 - 23 Jan. 2022
pp. 117-118, fig. 2.5
Illus. p. 118

Mulcahy, Rosemary, 'Review: Spanish drawings in the Courtauld Gallery. Complete catalogue. By Zahira Véliz' in 'The Burlington Magazine', September 2011 - pp. 646-47; CLIV
p. 646

Véliz, Zahira, Spanish Drawings in the Courtauld Gallery: complete catalogue, London, 2011
no. 47
Illus. p. 159 and p. 158 (infrared) ...More

Spanish drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1978 (March - May)
cat. no. 38

A selection of Spanish drawings from the Witt Collection, Courtauld Gallery, London, 1956
cat. no. 22

Mayer, August L., 'Los dibujos espanoles de la coleccion Witt en Londres' in 'Arte Espanol', 1926-27 - pp. 2-4; VIII, 1
p. 3
as by Bobadilla and signed ...Less

Inscriptions

Watermark: Recto, right centre: Arms of Amsterdam above letters, which are illegible, possibly an “I” or “T” (resembles in type Heawood 391-419 - Dutch and English papers dated between 1663 and 1729); Countermark: possibly at left centre, letters?

Inscription: Recto: lower left edge, brown ink: "Geronimo bobadilla fe".

Collector's mark: none.

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