"Orrin, Make Haste, I Am Perishing!" (The Galaxy, An Illustrated Magazine of Entertaining Reading, Vol. VI)

"Orrin, Make Haste, I Am Perishing!" (The Galaxy, An Illustrated Magazine of Entertaining Reading, Vol. VI) is a powerful wood engraving created by Winslow Homer in 1868. This work is a defining example of 19th-century American printmaking, showcasing Homer’s early career mastery of illustration before his transition to fine art painting. The medium, wood engraving, required intricate carving on the end-grain block, enabling the sharp precision and detailed cross-hatching necessary for mass reproduction in illustrated journals of the era.

This specific print served as an illustration for The Galaxy, a prominent literary and cultural magazine of the post-Civil War period. The dramatic composition captures a moment of high tension, focusing on one of the Women subjects frequently depicted by Homer. The central figure appears in distress, positioned within a precarious setting that heightens the emotional urgency implied by the title. The environment features a prominent architectural element: one of the complex Bridges that often appeared in mid-century American magazine prints, potentially symbolizing a difficult transition or impending danger related to the accompanying narrative.

Homer frequently utilized black and white media during this time, developing the compositional and narrative skills that would inform his later, celebrated oil paintings. As an early historical example of American publishing, this work demonstrates the vital role of editorial illustration in bringing art to the public sphere. This significant print is preserved in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Due to its age and historical status, high-quality reproductions of this 1868 wood engraving are widely available in the public domain.