Our Watering Places - The Empty Sleeve at Newport 1865

Winslow Homer's wood engraving, "Our Watering Places - The Empty Sleeve at Newport," depicts a fashionable couple riding in a carriage along the coast of Newport, Rhode Island. The composition centers on the couple, a woman holding the reins and a man with his empty sleeve resting on his lap, emphasizing the stark reality of the aftermath of the Civil War. Homer's detailed depiction of the carriage, clothing, and ocean landscape captures the elegance and leisure of the wealthy summer visitors to Newport, highlighting a stark contrast between the opulent lifestyles and the sacrifices made during the war. This poignant work, originally printed in Harper's Weekly in 1865, is an important example of Homer's ability to convey social commentary through his realistic depictions of everyday life.