Under the Falls, Catskill Mountains, from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. XVI
Original title: Under the Falls, Catskill Mountains, from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. XVI
kurzbeschreibung
Two women in period dress stand below a waterfall in the Catskill Mountains, captured in a wood engraving that Winslow Homer made in 1878 for Harper's Weekly. The print stays entirely black and white.
Description
In the foreground two women in long, ruffled dresses and hats steady themselves with sticks. Further back, a few isolated figures move along a path toward the waterfall. From the right the water plunges into a deep ravine, giving the layout its vertical axis. Reflections on the water and shadows on rock and ground divide the light. The rendering stays monochrome and true to life, with an eye for detail.
Context
Homer produced this contribution for Harper's Weekly, one of the leading illustrated magazines in nineteenth-century America; it appeared in the issue of September 14, 1878. The subject is the Catskill Mountains region, at the time a popular destination in New York State. In the 1870s Homer worked regularly as a magazine illustrator before painting moved increasingly to the fore.
Impact
A quiet, nature-close mood settles over the picture, and the eye is drawn to the sheer size of the falling water. Delicately set lines and a clear structure give the sheet something precise, almost documentary, that pulls the viewer into the landscape.
Technique
Homer worked in the relief process of wood engraving: the design is cut into a wood block. Thin lines and hatching allow light and shadow to be rendered with nuance. The image measures 23.2 x 35.2 cm, the sheet 27.5 x 40.1 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)