Girl in the Hammock

Girl in the Hammock by Winslow Homer is an 1873 medium oil painting on canvas. It depicts a well-dressed young woman in lush foliage under dappled sunlight.

Homer brings out the pursuit of relaxation as seen in the woman reclining in a hammock reading a book above her head. Here, impressionistic attention is blended with shadow and light. Homer observed the dress details and the life of the leisure class.

Homer's Other Works

Girl Seated in a Grove is an 1880 watercolour and pencil on paper painting. This was painted during summer, and Homer was keen to give the figure and the landscape enough attention as seen rendered by the brushwork. The woman is seen seated in a muted and somewhat relaxed mood. In the hazy light is a delicate colour and tone of the landscape. These are featured to highlight the achievements of the 1880 summer.

The Blue Boat is the other watercolour painting, completed in 1892. Homer depicts an outdoor scene with two men fishing using a tiny blue canoe. It is full of colour and motion at a distance, allowing for the view of the blue sky, the land and the water. This painting is believed to be a later production of Homer’s career in naturalism. If he is careless and slow, his vision may be blinded by the fog, leaving him afloat in a void.

The Life Line is his other creation, an 1884 masterpiece. He depicts a hero whose face is obscured by the strong wind and is embracing an unconscious girl. This drawing is a combination of bravery, terror and wonder. Amidst the works of nature, Homer brings out sensuousness, with the two people whose figures are intertwined above the raging sea on a zip line. He goes beyond illustrating a rescue and depicts the uneasy vitality of a relationship in the moment of life and death.

The Fog Warning was his 1885 work of art, leaning towards the marine subject. It was painted the same year as the Herring Net and Breezing Up. This piece depicts the hard life of the Maine fishermen. Like most of his other paintings featuring farm children, in this one, you will notice a similar tale, although a little disturbing. The teenager is seen to be successful with the fish he has in his boat, but the toughest part is returning to the main ship. He is seen looking into the horizon, perhaps trying to measure the distance he will cover. Most of Homer's paintings reflect a rural setting. They depict the close observations of nature, presenting a truthful and unsentimental view of the society.