Fall Games – The Apple Bee (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. III) 1859

Winslow Homer created this engraving, "Fall Games – The Apple Bee," which appeared in Harper's Weekly in November 1859. At this time, the United States was on the brink of civil war, yet Homer depicts a scene of communal festivity, a scene that obscures the political and social tensions of the time. Homer presents a party game, evoking themes of courtship and marriage within a domestic space. However, the joyous scene of the "apple bee" also reflects prevailing gender roles and social expectations. Note how the women are at the center of the image, actively participating in games, while men occupy the periphery, often observing or assisting. The engraving subtly reinforces the idea of women’s lives being oriented around domestic rituals. Moreover, this image presents a nostalgic vision of rural life, idealizing a simpler, pre-industrial existence, a comforting fantasy during a period of immense social upheaval. It prompts reflection on the ways in which art can serve as both a mirror and a refuge.