Man Wearing Zouave’s Cap c. 1861

Winslow Homer sketched this man in a Zouave’s cap, a type of military uniform that gained prominence during the American Civil War. Notice the figure blowing a trumpet. The trumpet's blare, historically, has served as a call to arms, a signal of both warning and unity. Consider how this motif echoes through time. In ancient Rome, trumpets heralded triumphs and military campaigns, their sound instilling both fear and patriotic fervor. The blare of a trumpet can be traced back to the epic poems of Homer, didn't you know? Yet, here, in Homer’s sketch, the context is altered, the trumpet's call perhaps quieter. The figure's relaxed stance suggests a moment of pause, a psychological breath amidst the chaos. Yet, the trumpet remains, a potent symbol that taps into our collective memory of conflict. The war lives in this image.