Station-House Lodgers 1874

Winslow Homer made this wood engraving, Station-House Lodgers, for Harper's Weekly in 1874. The image depicts a room in which men are crowded together, asleep on the floor. An officer stands guard at the door. Homer made this image during a time of great economic inequality in America. Following the Civil War, many people found themselves unemployed and homeless and with few options other than seeking shelter in places like police station houses. Homer’s image is part of a broader social commentary that was appearing in newspapers and magazines at the time. The artist uses sharp contrasts of light and shadow to create a stark and unsentimental view of poverty. But, it is important to remember that this appeared in an illustrated newspaper, it had to appeal to its readers. The image is a valuable resource for social historians seeking to understand the realities of poverty and homelessness in the 19th century, shedding light on the social and institutional responses to these issues.