The Family Record 1875

Winslow Homer’s wood engraving, *The Family Record*, was originally made for *Harper’s Bazar* in 1875. It is essentially a black-and-white print produced by carving an image into a block of wood, applying ink to the raised surface, and then pressing paper against it. In this case, the image is of a young couple recording information in a book, with their baby sleeping nearby. The density of lines creates the illusion of light and shadow, describing the scene in intimate detail. Wood engraving was a common reproductive technique in the 19th century, allowing images to be mass-produced and distributed widely in newspapers and magazines. This artwork exemplifies the intersection of art and industry. Although the scene suggests a quiet, domestic moment, the print itself would have been made through the division of labor, with different artisans responsible for different stages of the process. The woodblock would have been painstakingly carved, requiring technical skills and the labor of many. Paying attention to materials, making, and context allows us to understand that even seemingly simple images are tied to wider issues of labor, politics, and consumption.