A Country Store – Getting Weighed (Every Saturday, Vol. II, New Series) 1871

Winslow Homer made this print entitled ‘A Country Store – Getting Weighed’ in the United States, as an illustration for a magazine in the 19th century. The print shows a group of well-dressed women being weighed on a scale in a general store. At the time, prints were a popular way to disseminate images and information to a wide audience, and magazines like 'Every Saturday' were a key part of this media landscape. As a commercial artist, Homer depended on that market. The magazine catered to a middle-class readership, and images like this one offered a glimpse into everyday life and social interactions. The scene may seem unremarkable to us now, but the act of weighing oneself in public, especially for women, could have social implications related to beauty standards and health. The print offers a fascinating snapshot of gender roles, consumer culture, and social dynamics in 19th-century America. To understand this image further, we might want to look into the history of magazines and print culture, the social expectations of women at the time, and the rise of consumerism. The Library of Congress or historical societies have many collections that could help put this image into a richer context.