‘Winter at Sea – Taking in Sail Off the Coast,’ 1869. Wood engraving drawn by Homer and engraved at Harper’s premises. 8 7/8 x 12 7/8 inches. Harper’s Weekly, XIII (January 16, 1869): 40. A striking example of Homer’s journalistic approach, this image exemplifies his interest in dynamic movement and vertiginous perspective. It is hard to see how it could have been witnessed by the artist, but Homer gives the impression that it is simple verisimilitude, ‘drawn on the spot.’ The effect of movement is accentuated by the rhyming of the sea and the sail – with the sailors hanging on, but united in the urgency of their task.
Photograph and text by Simon Cooke. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Bibliography
Harper’s Weekly (1869).
Created 29 August 2023