At Sea—Signalling a Passing Steamer Possibly 1871

Winslow Homer made this wood engraving, "At Sea—Signalling a Passing Steamer," for publication in an illustrated weekly. The image depicts a ship in rough waters at night signaling with a bright light toward another unseen steamer. This print was made in the United States and published in 1873, a moment of rapid industrialization and expansion. The development of steam-powered ships increased international trade and travel and contributed to the transformation of American society. Here, we see an image of technological progress. But the darkness and rough seas remind us of the ever-present dangers of nature and the limits of human control. By researching magazines of the time and their readership, we can better understand the public role of images like this one in shaping perceptions of progress and risk. The meaning of this image is bound to its social and institutional context.