Ship-Building, Gloucester Harbor (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. XVII)
Original title: Ship-Building, Gloucester Harbor (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. XVII)
kurzbeschreibung
Winslow Homer's wood engraving 'Shipbuilding, Gloucester Harbor,' from 1873, presents a shipyard in Gloucester Harbor. In the foreground, children play with toy boats, while behind them men work on an unfinished hull. The print appeared in Harper's Weekly on October 11, 1873.
Description
Four children wearing hats have settled on wooden planks and are floating toy boats. Behind them rises a large, unfinished ship's hull on supports, with several shipyard workers busy around it—some hammering, others watching; the stern and parts of the hull are still missing. Scraps of wood and building materials lie scattered in the foreground. The black-and-white reproduction, evenly lit, emphasizes the structure of the timbers and the outlines of the figures.
Context
The engraving was made for the American weekly Harper's Weekly, famous for its illustrations. Gloucester, Massachusetts, was a major fishing and shipping port in the 19th century. The print captures the shipyard industry there during a period of economic growth. Homer was then a regular illustrator for the magazine.
Impact
The image pairs the harmless play of the children with the seriousness of shipyard labor. Its realistic portrayal gives a documentary impression and places the viewer in the working world of the 19th century. The calm arrangement and detailed execution lend the print a factual yet lively atmosphere.
Technique
Wood engraving is a relief process in which the design is cut into a woodblock. This allowed fine lines and detailed reproduction suitable for magazine printing. The image measures 23.8 x 34.9 cm; the sheet is 25.9 x 40.6 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)