Christmas Boxes in Camp â Christmas, 1861
January 4, 1862
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of John Goldsmith Phillips, Jr.
Accession Number
1947-4-45
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Christmas Boxes in Camp – Christmas, 1861** *Winslow Homer, American, 1836–1910, January 4, 1862* Winslow Homer, a pioneering American realist, captured the human side of the Civil War in this poignant work, created just days after Christmas 1861. As a special artist for *Harper's Weekly*, Homer sketched scenes from Union camps, bringing the realities of soldiering to a homefront audience. The title evokes a rare moment of warmth amid hardship: troops gathered around "Christmas boxes"—care packages from loved ones filled with treats, letters, and reminders of civilian life. Published ea...