The Father's Leave-Taking
Medium
etching
Dimensions
plate: 19 x 25.4 cm (7 1/2 x 10 in.) sheet: 28.7 x 44 cm (11 5/16 x 17 5/16 in.) overall (mat size): 40.6 x 55.9 cm (16 x 22 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Andrew W. Mellon Fund
Accession Number
1978.57.1
Art Historical Context
William Holman Hunt, a founding member of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, created this etching in 1879 during the later phase of his career. for his meticulous attention to and moral storytelling, brought the same intensity tomaking as he did his famous paintings. The-Raphaelite emphasis on truthful observation and symbolic depth finds expression here through the intimate scale of the plate. Etching allowed Hunt to reach a broader audience beyond gallery walls. By drawing directly onto the copper plate with fine lines and tonal areas, he achieved the rich textures and emotional nuance typical...