End of the March [recto]
1862
![End of the March [recto] by Winslow Homer](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/nga/thumb/end-of-the-march-recto-nga-98212.webp)
Medium
graphite on bristol board
Dimensions
sheet: 9.1 x 12.4 cm (3 9/16 x 4 7/8 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Dr. Edmund Louis Gray Zalinski, II
Accession Number
1996.121.4.a
Art Historical Context
Winslow Homer's *End of the March [recto]*, created in 1862, captures a poignant moment from the American Civil War. This intimate graphite drawing on bristol board—measuring just 9.1 x 12.4 cm—likely depicts weary Union soldiers trudging to a halt after a grueling march. Homer, then a young artist and special correspondent for *Harper's Weekly*, produced such sketches on the front lines, offering raw glimpses into the human toll of the conflict. The choice of medium is telling: graphite on smooth bristol board allowed Homer's precise, fluid lines to convey exhaustion and resilience with rema...
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...