This painting by Winslow Homer is “IT” for me.
It captures the absolute fall down spectacular beauty of the season (scene from his time in the Adirondacks) with the reality of the world. This scene includes the deer swimming and the hunter in his boat. A deer in the water is a slower, more vulnerable (as in “shotable”) animal and, apparently, Turner knew that hunters consciously try to move them into the water.
I think Homer’s depiction of this fantastic beauty along with brutal reality of that which is a “sport” ( and which he enjoyed with his brother year after year) is no accident.
Apparently, his time doing illustrations in The Civil War altered his painting themes toward deeper and more realistic depictions of beautiful landscapes.
For me, this painting places beauty on the same battlefield as brutality.
I think the man is a genius, what can I say? I’ll shut up and let him speak for himself.
©Pat Coakley 2008
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Why did I never get as much out of Art History professors as I do from your eloquent, concise explanations of the impact and implications of painters?
Homer really captured the frosty breath exhalations of winter on the water, and if not for us entering our winter down here, would make me long to be in New England.
I loved this post, Pat, and all of its’ symbology.
I love Homer, but I noticed something when I went to an exhibit of his work soem years ago. He didn’t like to do faces. Really! He was a master to be sure but if you look at his works, especially the water colors, he almost always partially or entirely obscures faces. I don’t know if he didn’t like the way he painted them or if he felt that they distracted from the work, but I find it fascinating.
Beautiful piece. Makes me want to head out to the woods.
-Turkish Prawn
Its beautiful…. I love the colors… but then Im a sucker for the fall!
I think Homer was more into capturing the big picture rather than concentrating on the face. When the subject is nature with figures in it, the face is quite small, and then it’s enough to suggest the features. Anything more than that, and you get a cartoonish face. While I myself love to do portraits, I do admire Homer’s work. Saw a couple of his paintings at a museum once, and noticing the pencil marks that he never bothered to erase made it so much more real to me.
Turkish meet Nava. From a portrait painter, I think this is a great explanation for some of his work. Also, I think his inspiration simply didn’t come from close relationships with others. His Civil War illustrations were distinctive, though, because it showed the soldiers in their daily lives, very touching, really…waiting for mail, for example. Not just the big battle.
Who isn’t a sucker for fall, Amber?
BL: Would that I had ANY art history in my early education!
Please don’t be shocked but I have never seen this painting before and have fallen in love with it! One day when I am settled I will have to find a print of some sorts for my viewing pleasure!