Great Sumter Meeting in Union Square, New York, April 11, 1863
Winslow Homer
American Art
Regarded as one of the great American Realists of the nineteenth century, Winslow Homer is known primarily for his large body of works in oil and watercolor. However, he also had an early career as a freelance illustrator, making drawings for wood engravings that were reproduced in mass-circulation periodicals such as Harper's Weekly. In 1998, the Brooklyn Museum received a generous gift of more than 250 wood-engraved illustrations by Homer from Harvey Isbitts.
Here, Homer illustrates a mass meeting that was held in New York on the second anniversary of the attack on Fort Sumter, which began the Civil War, "to reaffirm the determination of loyal men everywhere to prosecute the war until the rebellion is extinguished." This type of a “pep rally” was especially needed because the war was far more devastating and drawn out than the Union forces had originally envisioned and young men were paying huge sums of money to buy exemptions from conscription.
Here, Homer illustrates a mass meeting that was held in New York on the second anniversary of the attack on Fort Sumter, which began the Civil War, "to reaffirm the determination of loyal men everywhere to prosecute the war until the rebellion is extinguished." This type of a “pep rally” was especially needed because the war was far more devastating and drawn out than the Union forces had originally envisioned and young men were paying huge sums of money to buy exemptions from conscription.
MEDIUM
Wood engraving
DATES
1863
DIMENSIONS
Image: 9 x 13 3/4 in. (22.9 x 34.9 cm)
Sheet: 10 5/8 x 15 3/4 in. (27 x 40 cm)
Frame: 16 3/4 x 22 3/4 x 1 1/2 in. (42.5 x 57.8 x 3.8 cm) (show scale)
COLLECTIONS
American Art
ACCESSION NUMBER
1998.105.80
CREDIT LINE
Gift of Harvey Isbitts
EXHIBITIONS
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Winslow Homer (American, 1836â1910). Great Sumter Meeting in Union Square, New York, April 11, 1863, 1863. Wood engraving, Image: 9 x 13 3/4 in. (22.9 x 34.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Harvey Isbitts, 1998.105.80 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 1998.105.80_bw.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, 1998.105.80_bw.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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