North road, Bermuda 1900

Winslow Homer made this watercolor, North Road, Bermuda, around 1900. Watercolor has a reputation as a hobbyist’s medium, perhaps because it is inexpensive, and also, portable: ideal for painters on holiday, like Homer here. But don't let that fool you. Mastering watercolor demands deftness and control. Unlike oil paint, you can’t just paint over your mistakes. The wispy clouds in this image, and the transparent reflections on the water, testify to Homer’s command of the medium. Think, too, about the market for these paintings. Homer was an established artist by this point in his career, and could easily sell his watercolors for a good price. So, what looks like a casual travel sketch was actually a commodity, produced for an art market increasingly driven by middle-class consumers. Even a seemingly simple painting like this one connects to the broader social and economic landscape.