Image: Winslow Homer, Crab Fishing (1883).
We return to a favorite artist, and one that shares our occupation with the occupation of sourcing food. Though Winslow Homer is most associated with the lands and coasts of northeastern United States, this painting is from his time in England.
The piece is in the collection of the Worcester Art Museum, though currently not on view. The museum provides the following context for the painting:
“In 1881-1882 Homer spent twenty months in Cullercoats, England, a fishing village on the North Sea. The artist was an attentive student of everyday life in this village and captured the inhabitants’ life on shore and at sea. As an example of Homer’s careful observations, he carefully rendered the lines and equipment of specific boats, such as the coble–a Northumbrian vessel–depicted in this watercolor.”
The painting reflects an advanced level of skill with watercolor painting that Homer developed on the trip. “Homer also learned to remove watercolor from the sheet by scraping, sponging, and blotting previously applied colors. These techniques are evident, for example, in the drips of water falling from the trap, which were achieved by rewetting and blotting paint from the page. By scraping away washes of color, Homer created room to add the trap and oar to the composition.”
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Enjoy these sunny days on the cusp of sweater weather. Remember to tip big and be patient.