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Fresco, cont’d
Many consider this parable to be the greatest story Jesus ever told illustrating God’s unconditional love. Return of the Prodigal is Long’s first fresco on a wall built to his personal specifications. The biblical theme has been painted by some of the most famous names in art history. Rembrandt painted the parable with the father standing over his kneeling son with his fatherly hand as a blessing on his son’s head. Long’s imagination encompassed a more emotional encounter between the father and the prodigal. The patriarch kneels beside his frail son clutching his son’s hand over his heart and the other raised in thanksgiving. The older brother looks on in anger at the happy reunion. Across the courtyard, the mother stands with the female servants, her hands clasped across her breast as she senses the tension between the two brothers. In the background the servants are busy butchering the calf for the welcome home banquet. A small dog barks at the bottom. Three pigs root in the foreground reminding the viewer of the herds the Prodigal tended in his poverty. Long spent years preparing to paint the Montreat
23 fresco, with drawings, oil paintings and sketches. Creating a fresco is a demanding physical challenge. The painter must work long stretches of time rather than take frequent breaks. Depending on humidity, the painter may work as much as eight to 12 hours a day. Montreat’s artistic interpretation by Long is the only known true fresco by a master artist on the theme of Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son. Long has achieved international fame as a master of both true fresco and oil painting. His talent has resulted in numerous commissions worldwide including Italy, France, and seven sites in North Carolina. Also, the chapel is a popular wedding site. Montreat gets calls from many different states inquiring about having a wedding in the chapel. For more information about scheduling a wedding in the Chapel of the Prodigal, call 669-8012, extension 3821. Hours: Weekdays 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Weekends 2-4 p.m. Subject to change with seasons. For more information, call 669-8012, ext. 3821.