Girl Carrying a Basket 1882

Winslow Homer made this watercolor, "Girl Carrying a Basket," using paper and pigments, materials quite traditional for fine art painting. Homer's deft application of washes captures the airy atmosphere of a seaside scene, and the way the light rakes across the coastal bluff. But he also subtly directs our attention to the labor on display. The girl's basket, presumably made of woven reeds, speaks to histories of vernacular craft. The work of harvesting and weaving the basket's materials are all evoked in the painting. And what will she put in the basket? Perhaps shellfish gathered on the beach, or berries picked from the hillside. By depicting this anonymous figure, Homer quietly reminds us of the daily toil that sustains rural communities. It's a delicate painting, yes, but also one that acknowledges the realities of work. The inherent qualities of substance, texture, weight, color, and form, and these processes, imbue the artwork with social and cultural significance. Next time you encounter an image like this, consider the context. Fine art has always been intertwined with questions of labor, politics, and consumption.