Crew of U.S. Steamsloop "Colorado," Shipped at Boston, June 1861 (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. 5, p. 439)

Crew of U.S. Steamsloop "Colorado," Shipped at Boston, June 1861 (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. 5, p. 439) is a significant early work by Winslow Homer, created in 1861 during the initial stages of the American Civil War. Executed as a wood engraving, this print was commissioned and published in the influential illustrated magazine Harper’s Weekly. This period established Homer’s foundational career as a prolific visual journalist and illustrator, capturing crucial moments of the burgeoning national conflict.

The image functions as a snapshot of naval readiness and mobilization. It captures the crew of the U.S. Steamsloop Colorado shortly after the vessel shipped out from Boston. The composition focuses intimately on the sailors and the detailed activities involved in preparing a man-o'-war for active duty. Homer avoids idealized heroism, instead emphasizing the pragmatic environment of life at sea and the diverse personalities of the enlisted men. The artist’s keen attention to posture and detail, achieved through the high contrast required by the wood engraving medium, effectively conveys the textures of uniforms, rigging, and equipment vital to the wartime effort.

Homer’s rapid production of these detailed prints for Harper’s Weekly provided the Northern public with immediate and accessible visual information about the American Civil War, solidifying his reputation before he transitioned entirely to painting. As both a historical document and a crucial example of early American printmaking, this depiction of the naval crew remains a vital part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.