Thanksgiving Day - Ways and Means 27 - 1858

Editor: Here we have Winslow Homer's "Thanksgiving Day - Ways and Means" from 1858. The print depicts people and livestock, turkeys specifically, seemingly headed to market. What strikes me is the image's commentary on labor, and I wonder, what do you see in this piece? Curator: Considering the means of production, note the wood engraving technique. This allowed for mass dissemination via Harper's Weekly, placing it directly into the hands of consumers. It blurs the line between art and commodity, no? Editor: That's an interesting point. It brings art to everyday life. Curator: Precisely! The image itself depicts the transport of goods for consumption. Are we celebrating Thanksgiving, or the system that provides the feast? Editor: I hadn't thought of it that way, but it makes you consider the entire process, from farm to table. Curator: Exactly. Seeing art through a materialist lens reveals those often-unseen connections.