"Our Next President" (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. XII)

"Our Next President" (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. XII) is a powerful wood engraving created by Winslow Homer in 1868. Produced for the prominent illustrated journal, Harper's Weekly, this print documents the highly charged atmosphere surrounding the presidential election that year, just three years after the conclusion of the Civil War. Homer, celebrated for his keen observational renderings of American life, utilized the demanding process of wood engraving, a technique essential for the mass distribution of topical imagery to a wide public audience across the nation.

The piece captures a dynamic scene of political engagement and social interaction, focusing on a group of men and women gathered in what appears to be a public house or campaign headquarters. Homer’s composition highlights the intense debates consuming the electorate during the Reconstruction era. Figures are shown engrossed in heated conversation, their passion underscored by the presence of drinking vessels, suggesting both camaraderie and the heated nature of political argument fueled by alcohol. The image functions as both social realism and political commentary, examining the participation of various social classes in the democratic process.

Homer’s skillful delineation captures the individuality of the subjects and the tangible tension underlying the question posed by the title. Works such as this, originally published as timely magazine illustrations, serve as critical historical documents illustrating American civic life. This significant example of nineteenth-century American prints is held within the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Because this wood engraving is now firmly established in the public domain, it remains widely reproduced and studied by art historians today.