Nassau 1899

Winslow Homer made this watercolor, entitled "Nassau," while he was visiting the Bahamas in 1885. At first glance, it looks like a tranquil marine scene, but the painting hints at complex social and historical forces. Homer made many paintings of the Bahamas around this time, often showing the lives of the Black residents of these islands. As an American artist, he was likely interested in the social implications of emancipation and racial tensions in the post-Civil War United States. Here, we see Bahamian men navigating the waters around the island, and we also see cannons, likely remnants of colonial conflict, lying on the shore. Homer is highlighting the historical and social context that shaped the present moment in the Bahamas. We can understand Homer's work better by considering the contemporary exhibition culture and the complex racial politics of the United States in the late 19th century. Examining sources like letters, exhibition reviews, and historical accounts can offer valuable insights into the social dimensions of American art.