The Boston Common
May 22, 1858
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1937-39-4
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Winslow Homer's *The Boston Common*, dated May 22, 1858, captures an early moment in the career of one of America's foremost realist painters. Born in 1836, Homer was just 22 when he created this work, transitioning from his apprenticeship as a lithographer and illustrator for magazines like *Ballou'sorial*. Painted during a time of rapid urbanization in mid-19th-century America the piece reflects the everyday vitality of Boston's oldest public park, a cherished green space amid the growing city's bustle. Classified among "figures," the artwork likely depicts people engaged in leisure or dail...