Annie Laurie - Sheet Music Cover

The Annie Laurie - Sheet Music Cover by Winslow Homer, executed as a lithograph between 1855 and 1860, represents a significant example of the artist's early professional career in commercial illustration. During this period, Homer worked extensively in the burgeoning graphic arts industry, applying his skills to designing eye-catching covers for popular music. The medium of the lithograph was essential for mass-producing visually engaging prints required by the growing demand for sheet music in the United States.

The artwork promotes the sentimental Scottish song "Annie Laurie," which was highly popular in American parlors during the mid-19th century. Homer's design for the cover would have been tailored to evoke the romantic or melancholic atmosphere of the ballad, translating the narrative into a commercially viable and illustrative composition. These early graphic works provide critical context for understanding Homer’s rapid development before he moved on to magazine illustration and, eventually, established his reputation as a major American painter.

This important piece of American graphic history is classified as a print and resides in the distinguished collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work documents Homer’s foundational expertise in visual storytelling and design. Due to its age and cultural significance, this lithograph, like many 19th-century prints, is frequently accessed through public domain initiatives, ensuring that Homer’s early illustrative work remains widely available for study.