A Charcoal Sketch, from The Century Magazine, November 1883
1883
Medium
Graphic Arts-Print
Classification
Graphic Arts-Print
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Ray Austrian Collection, gift of Beatrice L. Austrian, Caryl A. Austrian and James A. Austrian
Accession Number
1996.63.214
Tags
Art Historical Context
Winslow Homer, a towering figure in American realism, created *A Charcoal Sketch* in 1883 as an illustration for *The Century Magazine*'s November issue. By this time, Homer had evolved from his early days as a Civil War correspondent for *Harper's Weekly* into a celebrated artist capturing the raw beauty of American life, particularly coastal scenes. Published during a period when magazines popularized fine art through affordable prints, this work exemplifies Homer's skill in translating dynamic sketches into accessible graphic arts. The piece depicts a lively beach tableau, featuring a hous...
About the Artist
Winslow Homer · 1836–1910
Winslow Homer (1836-1910) was one of America's greatest painters and a preeminent figure in 19th-century American art. Largely self-taught, Homer began his career as a commercial illustrator and Civil War correspondent for Harper's Weekly before becoming renowned for his powerful marine subjects and landscape paintings. His mastery of both oil and watercolor, combined with his uncompromising reali...