Opening Day in New York

Opening Day in New York is a detailed wood engraving on paper created by Winslow Homer (American, 1836-1910) in 1868. This important print was originally published by Harper's Bazar, a major American periodical founded the preceding year. Homer, who worked extensively in illustration, was known for capturing contemporary life and social activity in the United States for a wide readership during the post-Civil War era.

The work exemplifies Homer’s distinctive skill in graphic art, utilizing the sharp lines characteristic of the wood engraving technique to depict a busy social scene. As one of the premier illustrators during the Reconstruction period, Homer often focused on moments of leisure and complex social interactions among the emerging urban middle class. While the exact setting of Opening Day in New York remains open to interpretation-whether capturing the opening of a park, a fashionable gallery, or an annual civic event-the piece offers valuable insight into American culture just a few years after the Civil War. The subject matter suggests a keen interest in modern fashion and the rapid development of urban society.

Classified strictly as a print, this 1868 work is a significant example of mass-produced nineteenth-century imagery. Homer’s prolific output of these illustrations meant that many of his powerful images quickly entered the public domain, influencing visual culture and historical memory. This particular impression of Opening Day in New York is held in the comprehensive collection of American prints at the Art Institute of Chicago.