The Army of the Potomac - A Sharp-Shooter on Picket Duty

The Army of the Potomac - A Sharp-Shooter on Picket Duty, created by American 19th Century artist Winslow Homer in 1862, is a powerful early example of Homer’s direct engagement with the American Civil War. Executed as a wood engraving, this image was originally commissioned for reproduction in the popular illustrated magazine Harper's Weekly. During the period from 1851 to 1875, Homer served as a field correspondent, creating compositions drawn directly from his observations of the Union Army in Virginia. This piece reflects the immediate demand for visual reportage, capturing a moment of profound tension and solitude on the front lines.

The work focuses tightly on a single Union soldier, rifle poised, positioned strategically within dense undergrowth. The sharp-shooter is caught in the act of surveillance, peering intently through the brush. Homer utilizes the stark tonal contrasts inherent to the wood engraving medium to emphasize the isolation and the inherent danger of constant watchfulness. The detail in the rendering of the uniform and equipment grounds the scene in documentary reality. While intended for mass circulation as a print, the composition possesses a narrative immediacy and psychological depth that distinguished Homer’s wartime illustrations from those of his peers.

This early drawing for reproduction established Homer’s reputation as a keen and empathetic observer of contemporary life and military routine. The success of pieces like this provided the foundation for his shift into painting later in the decade. Classified specifically as a print, this impression belongs to a crucial body of work documenting the American experience during the conflict. Today, impressions of this historic print, held in prestigious institutional collections such as the National Gallery of Art, remain vital records of Civil War history, frequently accessible through institutions making materials available in the public domain.