What Shall We Do Next?, from Harper's Bazar, July 31, 1869

Art Historical Context

Winslow Homer's *What Shall We Do Next*, published in *Harper's Bazar* July 31, 1869, captures a serene moment of post-Civil War American leisure. As a leading Realist artist, Homer often depicted everyday life with keen observation, transitioning from his Civil War illustrations to scenes of domestic tranquility. This wood engraving print reflects the Gilded Age's emerging middle-class pastimes, set on a shaded porch where women embody Victorian ideals of refinement and repose. In the image, elegantly dressed figures lounge in chairs amid sewing supplies and croquet mallets, pondering their next diversion—a nod to the era's blend of productive needlework and playful outdoor games. Homer's precise line work and subtle shading highlight textures like wicker furniture and flowing skirts, drawing viewers into this intimate, gendered tableau of summer idleness. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Ray Austrian Collection, this print exemplifies Homer's mastery of graphic arts for popular magazines, making high art accessible. It offers a window into 19th-century social norms, where women's choices between duty and delight mirrored broader cultural shifts toward recreation. (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...