Carrying the Wounded 1865

Winslow Homer made this sketch with graphite on paper, probably in 1865. Homer was deeply interested in the materiality of everyday life, and how people navigated their world through physical labor. The way he used readily available graphite on paper to create this scene of Civil War soldiers carrying the wounded speaks volumes. The softness of the graphite allows Homer to create blurred forms, which are appropriate for the theme and imagery of warfare, of impermanence. The texture of the paper gives a tooth for the graphite to adhere to. It enhances the depiction of weight and burden as the figures struggle across a ravaged landscape filled with tree stumps. Homer’s use of drawing, a readily accessible medium, democratizes the artistic process. The sketch emphasizes the common experiences of soldiers, shifting away from glorifying war to capturing its grim realities. By focusing on the material and the process, Homer underscores the human cost of conflict. This challenges any traditional distinction between fine art and craft.