Thanksgiving Day – Arrival At the Old Home (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. II)
Original title: Thanksgiving Day – Arrival At the Old Home (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. II)
kurzbeschreibung
This 1858 wood engraving by Winslow Homer combines two Thanksgiving scenes: above, a group with a wagon and turkeys; below, elegantly dressed people in front of a house. The illustration appeared in Harper's Weekly.
Description
The image splits into two sections. In the upper part, a group gathers around a loaded wagon; some hold turkeys, others haul boxes, with a hut and trees closing off the back. Below, people enter or leave a house, some in fine clothing; a carriage trailer and a tree are visible. It is in black and white, with the typical strokes of newspaper wood engravings.
Context
The wood engraving was made for Harper's Weekly, which had been published since 1857 and was known for its illustrations. In the late 1850s, Winslow Homer worked as a freelance illustrator for the magazine. The motif takes up Thanksgiving, which was increasingly establishing itself as a national holiday in the United States during the 19th century.
Impact
Between rural arrival and urban reception, the two-part layout creates a narrative tension. The lines of the wood engraving give the everyday subject a dignified, almost idyllic mood. Black and white reinforces the documentary feel of the scene.
Technique
A wood engraving—a relief printing process in which the design is cut into a woodblock and then printed. Fine lines and hatching allowed for a detailed reproduction for magazine printing. The image measures 15.9 x 23.5 cm; the sheet is larger, 40.6 x 28.5 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)