Boston Evening Street Scene, at the Corner of Court and Brattle Streets
November 7, 1857
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of the Estate of David Wolfe Bishop
Accession Number
1958-27-8
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the bustling heart of 1850s Boston with Winslow Homer's *Boston Evening Street Scene, at the Corner of Court and Brattle Streets*, captured on November 7, 1857. This evocative work depicts figures navigating the lively intersection in the fading light of day, offering a vivid snapshot of urban life in a rapidly growing American city. At just 21 years old, Homer—already honing his skills as a freelance illustrator for magazines like *Ballou's Pictorial*—was immersed in Boston's vibrant street culture, sketching scenes that would foreshadow his lifelong commitment to realism. Homer, a...