Our Next President, from Harper's Weekly, October 31, 1868

Art Historical Context

**Our Next President**, a lively wood engraving by Winslow Homer published in *Harper's Weekly* on October 31, 1868, captures the electric anticipation of the upcoming U.S. presidential election Just days before voters chose between Republican Civil War hero Ulysses S. Grant and Democrat Horatio Seymour, this illustration exuberantly toasts Grant as the nation's next leader. Homer, a master realist and longtime *Harper's* illustrator, depicts a boisterous group of figures raising glasses to a bust of Grant amid a scene of eating, drinking, and patriotic revelry—perfectly embodying post-Civil War optimism during Reconstruction. As a graphic arts print, the work showcases Homer's skill in translating dynamic compositions from his sketches into crisp, mass-reproducible engravings, a technique that made *Harper's Weekly* a powerhouse of visual journalism. These prints reached millions, swaying public opinion with their vivid storytelling. The piece's timing and title underscore its role in Republican campaigning, highlighting Grant's popularity as the Union savior. Today, housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum from The Ray Austrian Collection, it offers a window into 19th-century American politics and Homer's early career, blending artistry with cultural commentary on democracy's triumphs. (198 words)

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...