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Winslow Homer in Watercolor
160 pages, Hardcover
Published January 20, 2026
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About the author
Winslow Homer
115 books1 followerWinslow Homer was an American landscape painter and printmaker, best known for his marine subjects. He is considered one of the foremost painters in 19th century America and a preeminent figure in American art.
Largely self-taught, Homer began his career working as a commercial illustrator. He subsequently took up oil painting and produced major studio works characterized by the weight and density he exploited from the medium. He also worked extensively in watercolor, creating a fluid and prolific oeuvre, primarily chronicling his working vacations.
Largely self-taught, Homer began his career working as a commercial illustrator. He subsequently took up oil painting and produced major studio works characterized by the weight and density he exploited from the medium. He also worked extensively in watercolor, creating a fluid and prolific oeuvre, primarily chronicling his working vacations.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 7, 2025
This is the book that accompanies a 2025 exhibit of the Boston MFA 's collection of Homer's works, "Of Light and Air," which I had the good fortune to see on a recent visit.
The rendering is complete, including at least one high quality image of each work on display-- and in some case multiples to demonstrate details up close. Works are separated by geography, similar to the exhibit itself: Gloucester, Prout 's Neck, Cullercoats, Florida / the Caribbean, etc.
The narratives were neither sparse nor overdone, providing a "just enough" / Goldilocks balance of education on a variety of topics, from pigments to techniques to personal histories.
The rendering is complete, including at least one high quality image of each work on display-- and in some case multiples to demonstrate details up close. Works are separated by geography, similar to the exhibit itself: Gloucester, Prout 's Neck, Cullercoats, Florida / the Caribbean, etc.
The narratives were neither sparse nor overdone, providing a "just enough" / Goldilocks balance of education on a variety of topics, from pigments to techniques to personal histories.
January 20, 2026
The book was mostly photos of Homer's various watercolors - many of which I saw in person during a recent showing of his work at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston - which has the largest collection of Homer watercolors in the world. This makes perfect sense since he was born in Boston and worked a good portion of his life in New England.
The book did provide a fairly detailed description of how he produced some of the special effects he is famous for - from dabbing excess water off paintings, to adding water to re-wet surfaces, to starting with white paper - painting colors over the white and then scraping some of the color off to reveal the white paper underneath. Much of his work was landscapes, sea scapes, people living and working near the shore, hunting and fishing scenes, etc. His mother was a watercolor painter also. Homer also illustrated books and sketched scenes from Civil War battlefield actions.
The book did provide a fairly detailed description of how he produced some of the special effects he is famous for - from dabbing excess water off paintings, to adding water to re-wet surfaces, to starting with white paper - painting colors over the white and then scraping some of the color off to reveal the white paper underneath. Much of his work was landscapes, sea scapes, people living and working near the shore, hunting and fishing scenes, etc. His mother was a watercolor painter also. Homer also illustrated books and sketched scenes from Civil War battlefield actions.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews