Homer, Winslow (1836-1910)

US painter and lithographer. A leading realist, he is known for his vivid seascapes, in both oil and watercolour, most of which date from the 1880s and 1890s. The Gulf Stream (1899; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York) is an example.

Born in Boston, Homer began his career as an illustrator for journals such as Harper's Weekly. He made his reputation as a painter with Prisoners from the Front (1866; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York), recording the miseries of the American Civil War. He After a visit to Paris 1866 he turned to lighter subjects, such as studies of country life, which reflect early Impressionist influence. A clear example of the influence of Impressionism is Croquet Scene (1886; Art Institute, Chicago).

He stayed in Britain for two years, then settled in Maine, but continued to travel to Canada, the West Indies, and elsewhere.