The Veteran in a New Field 1865 Winslow Homer American Painted soon after Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s surrender on April 9, 1865—and President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination five days later—Homer’s canvas depicts an emblematic farmer, revealed to be a Union veteran by his discarded jacket and canteen at lower right. His old-fashioned scythe evokes the Grim Reaper, recalling the Civil War’s harvest of death, which culminated in Lincoln’s murder. The bountiful wheat—a Northern crop—may connote the Union’s victory and a redemptive future. Referring to both death and life, Homer’s iconic
The Veteran in a New Field 1865 Winslow Homer American Painted soon after Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s surrender on April 9, 1865—and President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination five days later—Homer’s canvas depicts an emblematic farmer, revealed to be a Union veteran by his discarded jacket and canteen at lower right. His old-fashioned scythe evokes the Grim Reaper, recalling the Civil War’s harvest of death, which culminated in Lincoln’s murder. The bountiful wheat—a Northern crop—may connote the Union’s victory and a redemptive future. Referring to both death and life, Homer’s iconic composition offers a powerful meditation on America’s sacrifices and its potential for recovery and The Veteran in a New Field. Winslow Homer (American, Boston, Massachusetts 1836–1910 Prouts Neck, Maine). American. 1865. Oil on canvas
Size: 2509px × 1590px
Photo credit: © MET/BOT / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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