The Prodigal Son Wastes His Patrimony by Henry R. Robinson
date: label: Date made
content: 1840
name: label: maker
content: Robinson, Henry R.
notes: label: Description
content: This colored print is an interior scene depicting a well-dressed young man walking away from a table with his hand over his eyes, apparently in disbelief and shame. Two women (of easy virtue) and three men remain at the table playing cards. A waiter or servant stands in a corner opening a bottle, while a fifth man is standing above the table with a glass in one hand and a bottle of wine or liquor in the other. Thus, the scene depicts all of the worldly vices that Victorian-era gentlemen were taught to shun: gambling, drinking, and engaging in riotous behavior.
label: Description
content: The parable of the Prodigal Son or the Lost Son is among the best-known Christian morality tales and is found in Luke 15:11-32. The youngest of the two sons demands his share of his father’s estate which the father gives him. Shortly after, he runs off and squanders the wealth “in wild living.” Finding himself destitute, he returns to his father, repents his ways, and begs to be allowed to serve as a hired servant. The father rejoices at the return of his son “who was lost and is found.” Meanwhile, the obedient, older son is angry and refuses to join the celebration. His father pleads with him to forgive and to understand his joy.
label: Description
content: This print was produced by Henry R. Robinson, who was a caricaturist and lithographer in New York City. He was listed as a carver and gilder from 1833-34, as a caricaturist from 1836-43 and as a lithographer and print publisher from 1843-51. Henry Robinson was known for political prints that championed the causes of the Whig Party (which later merged with the Republican Party) and satirized the opposing Democratic Party. Historian Peter C. Welsh has called Henry Robinson the "Printmaker to the Whig Party."
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, New York City
topic: label: Subject
content: Courtship, love
label: Subject
content: Drinking
label: Subject
content: Chronology: 1840-1849
label: Subject
content: Economy
label: Subject
content: Lighting
label: Subject
content: Furnishings
label: Subject
content: Games
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Domestic Life
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content: Clothing & Accessories
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content: Art
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content: Peters Prints
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content: Domestic Furnishings
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content: Morality & Religious Prints
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Harry T. Peters "America on Stone" Lithography Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: DL.60.2939
label: catalog number
content: 60.2939
label: accession number
content: 228146
objectType: label: Object Name
content: lithograph
label: Object Type
content: Lithograph
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: paper (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: ink (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: image: 8 1/2 in x 12 1/2 in; 21.59 cm x 31.75 cm