On the Bluff at Long Branch, at the Bathing Hour (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. XIV)
Original title: On the Bluff at Long Branch, at the Bathing Hour (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. XIV)
kurzbeschreibung
On August 6, 1870, Winslow Homer made this wood engraving for the weekly magazine Harper's Weekly. It shows a group of women on a rise by the beach at Long Branch; the figures wear long, windblown dresses and hats. Behind them lie the beach with bathers, a small building labeled 'Bathing Dresses,' the sea, and birds in the sky.
Description
A flagpole with a white flag sets a vertical accent and shapes the layout. In the foreground, several women in billowing skirts and hats move about, their scarves caught by the wind; some walk, others stop and look around, bringing movement to the view. On the beach behind, many people are visible at the water's edge, while the sea stretches to the horizon. Grays and fine hatching, typical of wood engraving, give the print a dense, detailed texture.
Context
The wood engraving was published in August 1870 in the American weekly Harper's Weekly, known for its illustrations. Long Branch, New Jersey, was then a popular seaside resort for the upper class, and the subject reflects the social customs of the Victorian era. Homer was working as an illustrator at the time, capturing the leisure habits of the middle and upper classes. Bathing costumes and separate areas for men and women conformed to the moral standards of those years.
Impact
A lively, almost instantaneous mood carries the viewer into the summer beach scene. Moving figures, fluttering fabric, and the wide seascape combine to create an impression of elegance and lightness. The clear, graphic style of the wood engraving directs attention to the silhouettes and to the dynamics of the wind.
Technique
For printing, the image was cut into a woodblock and then reproduced. Fine lines and hatching create the grays and textures that render figures and landscape in detail. The print measures 22.5 x 34.6 cm, the sheet 26.6 x 40 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)