"Any Thing for Me, if you Please?" Post-Office of the Brooklyn Fair in Aid of the Sanitary Commission (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. VIII) 1864

Winslow Homer’s 1864 wood engraving, “Any Thing for Me, if you Please?,” depicts a bustling scene inside the post office at the Brooklyn Fair in Aid of the Sanitary Commission. The women in the engraving are writing letters to soldiers fighting in the Civil War, while a pair of soldiers stand by a mirror in the background, possibly reflecting on the cost of the war. Homer’s dynamic composition and attention to detail capture the spirit of the time and the important role that women played in supporting the war effort. This engraving, originally published in "Harper's Weekly," is a powerful example of Homer’s early work and his ability to document the events of the American Civil War.