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In the flurry of artistic activity at the turn of the century when monumental sculpture was at its height, genre subjects also became popular again. They were usually represented in small pieces, the subject itself dictating this. They were done in a variety of materials: terracotta and wood being used as much as bronze and marble. János Pásztor's "Farewell" was originally made of terracotta, but in 1906 the Museum of Fine Arts commissioned the artist to carve it in wood.
The theme came from the world of the peasants around Hódmezővásárhely, the artist's town. It is a simple and commonplace subject - an old peasant bids a young man farewell. Pásztor has placed two facing figures on a low base. Both are in shepherd's clothing. They are clearly linked by deep emotional ties, though the clasped hands are the only outward expression of this. It is the profound emotional content of the works shown in the expressions and gestures that raised it above the other genre statues of the period. It is quite apparent that the sculptor was not working simply for a commission, but from his heart.
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