The Last Days of Harvest (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. XVII)

The Last Days of Harvest (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. XVII) by Winslow Homer is a significant wood engraving created in 1873. Homer produced this work for the popular illustrated magazine Harper's Weekly, demonstrating his ongoing engagement with contemporary American life and publishing media. This print was published in Volume XVII of the weekly journal, providing cultural context for the widespread dissemination of visual art to a mass audience in the late 19th century.

The medium of wood engraving allowed for rapid reproduction and wide circulation, reaching a large readership at a time when photographic illustration was not yet standard for news and feature reporting. This technique required the artist to collaborate closely with the engraver to capture the desired detail and composition through precise linear work on the block’s surface.

The subject captures a quintessential scene of American agriculture. The composition focuses on men completing the late-season work, showing them handling the final stacks of crop. A prominent carriage or cart dominates the foreground, ready for transport, emphasizing the logistical challenges of manual harvest. Homer was renowned for documenting the realities of rural labor and everyday people, and this piece provides important insight into post-Civil War farming practices and the arduous nature of agricultural life. The subtle suggestion of exhaustion and the focus on the last remnants of the crop emphasize the seasonal cycle that defined the period.

This original impression is held as a crucial example of Homer’s illustrative career and is classified as a print within the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a historical illustration that often falls within the public domain, The Last Days of Harvest remains a key reference work for understanding American art history and the development of the illustrated press.