Hon. Elihu B. Washburne, of Illinois, Chairman of the Committee on Commerce

The work Hon. Elihu B. Washburne, of Illinois, Chairman of the Committee on Commerce was created by Winslow Homer in 1860. This significant piece is a wood engraving, a medium frequently utilized during the mid-19th century for mass-market illustration in the United States. Homer, who would later become one of America’s preeminent painters, established his early career primarily through journalistic illustration, often depicting political figures and social scenes of the era.

The subject is Elihu B. Washburne, a prominent Republican Congressman from Illinois who served as the Chairman of the Committee on Commerce. Washburne held significant influence during the tense political climate immediately preceding the Civil War. This type of published portraiture was essential for communicating the likeness and status of key political figures to the wider readership in an era when photographic reproduction was still limited. Homer’s commission for Hon. Elihu B. Washburne reflects his early success in capturing detailed likenesses for illustrated periodicals.

Homer's early output in prints is characterized by clear, decisive lines and effective use of contrast necessary for the demanding process of wood engraving. The detailed rendering of Washburne shows the artist's growing technical skill in transforming a drawing into a functional block print. Examples of these foundational early works by Homer are critical to understanding the development of American illustrative art and are preserved in distinguished collections, including that of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Prints from this period are often available in the public domain, providing researchers widespread access to Homer's formative years as an artist.