Young Man Leaning Against Sailboat Rigging 1875

Winslow Homer made this drawing with graphite on paper, probably in the late nineteenth century. It shows a young man leaning against the rigging of a sailboat. Looking at this work, the historian is prompted to ask: what social forces shaped Homer's vision, and what do they tell us about the painting's meaning? In nineteenth-century America, maritime activities were central to both the economy and the culture. Depictions of sailors, fishermen, and other figures connected to the sea were thus freighted with cultural significance. Homer himself had begun his career as a commercial illustrator before turning to painting. Drawings such as this one are important artifacts, offering insights into the ways that a popular artist translated those social and economic realities through the visual codes of fine art. To gain more purchase on Homer's work, we might also consult periodicals, advertisements, and other images that circulated at the time. The meaning of art always depends on social and institutional context.