The Great American Artist Who Perfected His Skill In Civil War Camps
Winslow Homer, one of the great American artists of the 19th century, is known mostly for his seascapes. But as a young man working for illustrated newspapers, primarily Harper's Weekly, he covered the Civil War as a "special," the term applied to battlefield artists.
In the late 1850s Homer was already contributing to publications such as Ballou's Pictorial, a popular publication based in Boston. And he began contributing to Harper's Weekly in March 1861, just as the Civil War was about to begin.
During his forays to the front, he sketched mostly camp scenes, which were sent to New York and converted into woodcut illustrations. And Homer also sketched scenes which he apparently didn't intend for immediate publication. Some of them were experimental sketches and some were studies for future paintings.
Homer's involvement covering the Civil War can be overshadowed by his later great paintings. But his war years gave him a constant stream of material and things he learned while carrying a sketchbook in Civil War camps no doubt contributed to his later artistic career.
Winslow Homer was born in Boston on February 24, 1836. His education was spotty, though he somehow essentially taught himself to draw. He became apprenticed to a printmaker at 19, and his talents were put to use in a commercial environment.
He began getting commissions to produce illustrations for books, and he began to make a living as an artist. In an era before photographs could be printed in books and newspapers, there was a great demand for talented artists who could quickly render scenes.
Home began getting work for major publications, including Ballou's Pictorial, an illustrated newspaper that was a precursor of a news magazine. His work for Ballou's (which was based in Boston) attracted the notice of the editors of Harper's Weekly, a publication launching in the late 1850s which would become one of the most popular news sources in America.
Just as the Civil War was about to begin Homer was contracted to create drawings for Harper's Weekly.
In early 1862 Homer accompanied the Army of the Potomac, which was being led by General George McClellan on the frustrating Peninsula Campaign. Homer lived with the soldiers and drew scenes of camp life. His drawings began to appear regularly in Harper's Weekly.
Homer's views of the war generally avoided actual combat scenes. Typically, they would show soldiers in mundane settings, around campfires and in bivouacs. Showing soldiers coping with their new lives in uniform seemed to humanize the war, and the images drawn by Homer seemed to be popular with readers.
As the was progressed, Homer seemed to become bored with creating his images of soldier life. He apparently harbored ambitions of moving on to becoming a painter. And he created many sketches that were intended not for immediate publication in Harper's Weekly but for later, more serious, work.
After the war Homer traveled to Europe, apparently to study paintings. And while he still made a living doing illustrations for Harper's Weekly and other clients, his heart was directed toward painting, not magazine work.
Homer essentially taught himself to paint by first adapting some of his wartime drawings to oil paintings. But over time, as he gained confidence with the medium, he began to create original paintings. And, of course, he eventually gained his greatest fame for his paintings which often featured the sea.
In the late 1850s Homer was already contributing to publications such as Ballou's Pictorial, a popular publication based in Boston. And he began contributing to Harper's Weekly in March 1861, just as the Civil War was about to begin.
During his forays to the front, he sketched mostly camp scenes, which were sent to New York and converted into woodcut illustrations. And Homer also sketched scenes which he apparently didn't intend for immediate publication. Some of them were experimental sketches and some were studies for future paintings.
Homer's involvement covering the Civil War can be overshadowed by his later great paintings. But his war years gave him a constant stream of material and things he learned while carrying a sketchbook in Civil War camps no doubt contributed to his later artistic career.
Early Career
Winslow Homer was born in Boston on February 24, 1836. His education was spotty, though he somehow essentially taught himself to draw. He became apprenticed to a printmaker at 19, and his talents were put to use in a commercial environment.
He began getting commissions to produce illustrations for books, and he began to make a living as an artist. In an era before photographs could be printed in books and newspapers, there was a great demand for talented artists who could quickly render scenes.
Home began getting work for major publications, including Ballou's Pictorial, an illustrated newspaper that was a precursor of a news magazine. His work for Ballou's (which was based in Boston) attracted the notice of the editors of Harper's Weekly, a publication launching in the late 1850s which would become one of the most popular news sources in America.
Just as the Civil War was about to begin Homer was contracted to create drawings for Harper's Weekly.
Civil War Assignments
In early 1862 Homer accompanied the Army of the Potomac, which was being led by General George McClellan on the frustrating Peninsula Campaign. Homer lived with the soldiers and drew scenes of camp life. His drawings began to appear regularly in Harper's Weekly.
Homer's views of the war generally avoided actual combat scenes. Typically, they would show soldiers in mundane settings, around campfires and in bivouacs. Showing soldiers coping with their new lives in uniform seemed to humanize the war, and the images drawn by Homer seemed to be popular with readers.
As the was progressed, Homer seemed to become bored with creating his images of soldier life. He apparently harbored ambitions of moving on to becoming a painter. And he created many sketches that were intended not for immediate publication in Harper's Weekly but for later, more serious, work.
Later Paintings
After the war Homer traveled to Europe, apparently to study paintings. And while he still made a living doing illustrations for Harper's Weekly and other clients, his heart was directed toward painting, not magazine work.
Homer essentially taught himself to paint by first adapting some of his wartime drawings to oil paintings. But over time, as he gained confidence with the medium, he began to create original paintings. And, of course, he eventually gained his greatest fame for his paintings which often featured the sea.