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ROMARE BEARDEN © Romare Bearden Foundation / Licensed by VAGA, New York, NY |
Artists make collages by gluing paper and other materials to a background. As his subject in this spectacular collage, Romare Bearden uses a story from the Bible called "The Return of the Prodigal Son." The story tells of two brothers, each of whom received some of their father's money. One stayed home and worked hard to help his father; the other went away and wasted his money. When the son who went away lost all his money, he returned home to his father and apologized for his behavior. Instead of punishing him, his father hugged him, gave him nice clothes, and prepared a feast. How do you think you would have felt if you were the hard-working son? He felt very angry at being treated unfairly until his father explained, "Your brother was dead and came back to life, was lost and is found." The lesson in the story is a hopeful one--that a person who has made mistakes, is sorry about them, and wants to change, should be accepted, forgiven, and helped to lead a better life. Family is very important in this process, and the artist is pointing out the positive, supportive role that families can play in young people's lives.
Look carefully at the collage. There are many details that you won't notice immediately. Who might the family members be who are greeting the son? Do you see anything that might mean a meal is being served? Can you find a reference to a far-off place where the son might have been? Look for the candle- it's a very important symbol. It might refer to the lights that people leave on in a house for family members who are getting home late. Mr. Bearden also might be referring to an old saying about "leaving a candle burning in the window" in the hope that a loved one would soon return home. This prodigal son's family has been waiting, and greets him with open arms, just like the father in the Bible story.