Seascape with Boats 1880

Editor: Here we have Winslow Homer’s "Seascape with Boats." The white and brown create such a striking contrast; it's so simple, yet effective. What can you tell me about the materiality of this piece? Curator: Looking at Homer's process, one wonders about the ready availability of materials during this period. Were these pigments easily attainable by working class artists, or reserved for the privileged? Considering the social context, how might the subject of sailing—often a leisure activity—relate to labor and class divisions of the time? Editor: That's a fascinating angle I hadn't considered! Curator: It invites us to think about whose labor enabled such leisure and how art both reflects and reinforces those power dynamics. Editor: Thank you, that’s a great perspective to keep in mind!