Campaign Sketches: The Letter for Home 1863

"Campaign Sketches: The Letter for Home" is a poignant illustration by Winslow Homer, created in 1863, depicting the intimate moment of a Union soldier receiving a letter from home. The image captures the raw emotion of war, showing the soldier's weariness and the woman's tenderness as she reads aloud. This scene, executed with precise detail and subtle shading, embodies the human cost of conflict and the importance of personal connection during wartime. This sketch, now housed at The Art Institute of Chicago, reflects Homer's early artistic development and his keen ability to portray everyday moments with profound emotional impact.