Three Sketches of Schooners c. 1880

Winslow Homer sketched these schooners with graphite on paper, using the immediacy of the medium to capture these vessels. The marks on the page are unassuming, but Homer’s direct approach lets us feel the marine environment he is exploring. Note how quickly he has described the forms of the boats, catching the way they sit in the water, with masts angled in relation to their hulls. The texture of the graphite, smudged and varied, becomes like sea spray on the page. It's important to remember that these boats were not just picturesque objects. They were central to a whole way of life for many, crucial for transporting goods and people. Homer would have been well aware of this, and of the labor involved in sailing these boats. Looking closely at the material and process of this drawing helps us to appreciate not only Homer’s skill, but also the social context of his work. It reminds us that what may at first appear to be a simple sketch is in fact deeply connected to the world of labor, trade, and human endeavor.