Soldiers Drilling c. 1864

Winslow Homer created this drawing, Soldiers Drilling, with graphite on paper. The dominant visual experience is one of stark simplicity and ghostly figures. Shapes are loosely defined, and the composition emphasizes the repetitive nature of military drills. The texture created by the graphite evokes a sense of transience. Homer uses line and form to convey more than just a scene. The drawing subtly destabilizes notions of military strength by revealing the individual soldiers as somewhat anonymous. It’s as though they're stripped of their individual identities by the uniformity of their actions. Semiotically, the rifles are not just tools of war, but symbols of regimentation. They suggest a loss of autonomy within the structured environment of military service. The overall effect is one of visual tension: the structured lines of the soldiers' formation juxtapose against the sketch-like quality of the medium. This contrast underscores the complexities inherent in depicting war and the human cost of structured violence.