Raid on a Sand-Swallow Colony--"How Many Eggs?", from Harper's Weekly, June 13, 1874
1874
Medium
Graphic Arts-Print
Classification
Graphic Arts-Print
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum, The Ray Austrian Collection, gift of Beatrice L. Austrian, Caryl A. Austrian and James A. Austrian
Accession Number
1996.63.96
Tags
Art Historical Context
In 1874, renowned American artist Winslow Homer captured a lively moment of childhood adventure in *Raid on a Sand-Swallow Colony—"How Many Eggs?"*, published in the popular illustrated newspaper *Harper's Weekly* on June 13. Homer, a master of Realism, began his career as a wood engraver for such periodicals, honing his skills in depicting everyday American life with precise, naturalistic detail. This graphic arts print reflects the post-Civil War era's fascination with pastoral innocence, showcasing children on a sunlit beach as they playfully plunder a sand-swallow bird colony, tallying the...
About the Artist
Winslow Homer · 1836–1910
Winslow Homer (1836-1910) was one of America's greatest painters and a preeminent figure in 19th-century American art. Largely self-taught, Homer began his career as a commercial illustrator and Civil War correspondent for Harper's Weekly before becoming renowned for his powerful marine subjects and landscape paintings. His mastery of both oil and watercolor, combined with his uncompromising reali...