Colonel Wilson, of Wilson's Brigade

"Colonel Wilson, of Wilson's Brigade," by Winslow Homer, is a definitive example of reportorial illustration created at the onset of the American Civil War. Executed in 1861, this wood engraving belongs to Homer’s important early body of work documenting the rapidly escalating conflict. As a print designed for mass reproduction, the medium reflects the intense demand for immediate visual news and portraits of military figures in the United States during this tumultuous era.

Homer, working primarily as a staff illustrator for publications like Harper's Weekly at this time, specialized in quickly rendering scenes of military life and capturing the likenesses of key commanders. While the specific details concerning Colonel Wilson are implied by the title, the work captures the formality and gravity associated with Union officers early in the war. The reliance on stark contrasts and precise line work, inherent to the wood engraving technique, emphasizes the subject's authoritative presence while minimizing extraneous detail, aligning with the conventions of journalistic illustration.

This historical print provides crucial insight into how Homer developed his keen observational skills before shifting toward oil painting later in his career. The early works, such as Colonel Wilson, of Wilson's Brigade, are foundational documents of American visual history. The piece is held in the extensive prints collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art. As much of Homer's illustrative work from this period is widely reproduced today, images like this frequently enter the realm of art available in the public domain, ensuring continued study and accessibility of his pivotal documentation of the United States at war.