Summertime
1880
Medium
Painting
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Sam Rose and Julie Walters
Accession Number
2004.30.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
**Summertime** (1880) by Winslow Homer captures the essence of carefree American childhood in a luminous beach scene. This oil painting depicts children joyfully sailing a small boat near the shore, evoking the warmth and freedom of a perfect summer day. Homer, a master of American Realism, drew from his keen observation of coastal life, often painting en plein air to infuse his works with natural light and vitality. Created during Homer's prolific period in Maine, where he retreated to focus on marine subjects, *Summertime* showcases his technical prowess in rendering translucent water, bill...
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...