The Signal of Distress

The Signal of Distress by Winslow Homer and Christian Klackner is a significant American print created in 1891. This work is classified as a photogravure in black on wove paper, a sophisticated printing technique popular during the 1876 to 1900 period that allowed for highly detailed tonal reproductions of original artworks. Homer provided the original design, likely a powerful composition centered on a desperate maritime event, while Klackner was the specialist publisher responsible for executing the photomechanical process.

The subject matter epitomizes Winslow Homer’s later career focus: the overwhelming power of the sea and the struggle of isolated figures against elemental forces. The photogravure technique perfectly translates the drama, utilizing the rich, velvety blacks and nuanced grayscale afforded by the method to emphasize the perilous environment suggested by the title. The deliberate choice of photogravure, rather than a more traditional etching or lithography, underscores the late nineteenth-century push toward mass distribution of high-quality fine art. Klackner successfully used this approach to bring the profound emotional resonance of Homer’s work to a broader audience of collectors and enthusiasts.

This photogravure print serves as an important document in the history of reproduction technology, combining the mechanical accuracy of early photography with the tactile quality of a traditional print medium. Homer, arguably the era's preeminent American visual storyteller, saw his works disseminated widely through such prints. This exemplary impression of The Signal of Distress is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. As a historical work of art from a major American master, high-resolution documentation of this print is often accessible through public domain resources, ensuring its continued study in the context of late Gilded Age culture.