The Sleighing Season--The Upset, from Harper's Weekly, January 14, 1860
1860
Medium
Graphic Arts-Print
Classification
Graphic Arts-Print
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Ray Austrian Collection, gift of Beatrice L. Austrian, Caryl A. Austrian and James A. Austrian
Accession Number
1996.63.37
Tags
Art Historical Context
Winslow Homer's *The Sleighing SeasonThe Upset*, published *Harper's Weekly* on January 14, 1860, captures a of winter chaos with lively realism. This wood engraving depicts a sleigh accident amid a snowy landscape, where startled horses rear up, sending passengers tumbling into the drifts. A loyal dog adds a touch of comic pathos, while a group of figures reacts in surprise—hallmarks of Homer's keen eye for everyday drama. In 1860, sleighing was a beloved social pastime in antebellum America, especially in the Northeast, blending recreation with flirtation and community spirit. As a young il...
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...