Danger 1883 - 1887

Winslow Homer made this watercolor painting of two women, sometime in the late nineteenth century. It captures the feeling of the awesome power of nature in the American Northeast, but it also speaks to social and economic anxieties of the period. The painting shows two women walking along a shore, bracing themselves against the wind of an approaching storm. By the late 1800s, industrialization had created vast new wealth in America, but also new forms of insecurity. The painting represents the experience of ordinary people, whose lives are shaped by forces beyond their control. Homer was also interested in the changing role of women in American society, who were increasingly entering the workforce and demanding greater political rights. To better understand Homer’s vision, we can investigate the popular literature, political speeches, and scientific writing of his time. By placing the painting in its historical context, we can better appreciate its enduring power.