Driving Home the Corn and Dance after the Husking (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. II)
November 13, 1858
Medium
Wood engraving
Dimensions
image: 5 7/8 x 9 1/4 in. (14.9 x 23.5 cm) image: 6 x 9 1/4 in. (15.2 x 23.5 cm) sheet: 15 11/16 x 10 9/16 in. (39.9 x 26.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1938
Accession Number
38.67.2a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
Created by Winslow Homer for the November 13, 1858 issue of Harper’s Weekly, this wood engraving captures lively moments from a rural American harvest. The dual scenes—farmers driving home the corn and a celebratory dance after the husking—reflect mid-nineteenth-century agrarian traditions, when communities gathered to complete seasonal work and then enjoy music, dance, and fellowship. As one of Homer’s early illustrations, the print demonstrates his skill in translating everyday life into engaging visual narratives for a broad audience. Wood engravings like this one were essential to illustr...
About the Artist
Winslow Homer|Harper's Weekly|Harper & Brothers · 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...