In Came a Storm of Wind, Rain and Spray – and Portia (The Galaxy, An Illustrated Magazine of Entertaining Reading, Vol. VIII) 1869

Winslow Homer made this wood engraving to illustrate a story in The Galaxy, an illustrated magazine, in 1869. It pictures two women standing near an open door as rain comes into their house. Homer worked as an illustrator for magazines like Harper’s Weekly and Appleton’s Journal, in the period after the American Civil War. Magazines and periodicals were hugely influential in shaping public opinion at that time. They commissioned artists to produce images of current events and social issues. Homer's images often depicted scenes of everyday life, and he was known for his ability to capture the spirit of the American people. This engraving may allude to the disruption and uncertainty that followed the Civil War. It might also subtly critique Victorian gender roles through the androgynous style of the woman on the left. Art historians can research publications like The Galaxy to understand the social and cultural context in which artworks like this were made.