"Orrin, Make Haste, I Am Perishing"

Winslow Homer created "Orrin, Make Haste, I Am Perishing" in 1868. This important work is executed in the demanding medium of wood engraving, a technique that Homer mastered during his tenure as a freelance illustrator. The process of preparing these relief prints allowed for rapid reproduction in popular periodicals like Harper's Weekly, making his art accessible to a massive public audience throughout the United States during the mid-19th century.

Dating to the period immediately following the Civil War, the print captures a dramatic narrative moment, indicated by the urgency implied in the title. Homer's illustrated works often focused on intimate scenes of everyday life, rural settings, and the enduring human spirit, themes that resonated deeply with a nation navigating Reconstruction. Through the stark contrasts and linear precision inherent to wood engraving, Homer effectively conveys the emotional weight and specific atmosphere of the scene, highlighting his skill in narrative composition regardless of the scale or medium.

This piece serves as an excellent example of how Homer utilized the constraints of commercial prints to hone the observational skills and compositional strength that would define his later painting career. The speed and relative reproducibility of wood engravings meant that many of these early illustrations entered the public domain quickly, yet they remain critical documents of American culture. As a significant record of American illustration and printing history, this impression of Orrin, Make Haste, I Am Perishing is part of the esteemed prints collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art.