Two Studies of a Sentry
Medium
figures
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Savage Homer, Jr.
Accession Number
1912-12-165-a
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Two Studies of a Sentry**Winslow Homer (1836–1910), a pioneering American Realist painter, created *Two Studies of a Sentry in 1862. This work consists of two figure studies, likely quick sketches capturing the poised vigilance of a sentry—a common motif in Homer's early career. As a gifted illustrator who contributed to *Harper's Weekly*, Homer honed his skills in rendering everyday heroism through precise, unembellished observation. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum as a gift from Charles Savage Homer, Jr., these studies exemplify his shift from commercial art toward profound d...