Christmas Belles, from Harper's Weekly, January 2, 1869
1869
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
1996.63.70
Tags
Art Historical Context
"Christmas Belles," a charming wood engraving by Winslow Homer published in *Harper's Weekly* on January 2, 1869, captures the festive spirit of post-Civil America. Homer, a pioneering American realist known for his vivid depictions of everyday life, this illustration as a staff artist for the popular weekly magazine, which reached millions through its affordable prints. Set against a snowy winter landscape, the scene likely features elegant women— the "belles"—bundled in winter attire, perhaps enjoying a sleigh ride,oking joy and renewal during the holiday season just after the nation's turbu...
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...