Incoming Tide, Scarboro, Maine 1883

Winslow Homer created this watercolor of the Maine coast. The image speaks to the tense relationship between humanity and nature. Homer was an artist who chronicled American life, from the Civil War to the rugged existence of those who lived by the sea. This painting captures the dramatic power of the ocean, a subject that drew Homer back again and again. He was interested in the raw energy of the waves and how they crashed against the rocks of the shoreline. This could be a metaphor for the many things that can not be controlled in life. "Incoming Tide, Scarboro, Maine" invites us to consider our place in the world. Are we at the mercy of forces beyond our control, or do we have the strength to weather any storm? Homer asks us to think about how we face the tempests of our own lives.