The War - Making Havelocks for the Volunteers

"The War - Making Havelocks for the Volunteers" by Winslow Homer, executed in 1861, is a historically significant wood engraving documenting homefront efforts immediately following the outbreak of the Civil War in the United States. This compelling early work illustrates women diligently producing havelocks, white cloth neck and helmet covers intended to shield Union soldiers from the intensity of the sun during summer campaigns. Homer, who worked extensively as an illustrator during this period, focused on depicting the rapid and essential mobilization of civilian support for the Union cause.

The classification as a print, specifically a wood engraving, highlights the dominant form of mass media and journalistic reporting in 19th-century America. As the nation fractured, works like this served to rapidly distribute visual narratives and bolster morale across the country. Homer’s detailed rendering of the domestic interior captures the immediacy of American life and the quiet dedication demanded of women while the men served on the front lines.

Homer captured this scene with a journalistic eye, transitioning from the discipline of magazine illustration to fine art painting later in his career. This piece provides a clear glimpse into the widespread impact of the conflict beyond the battlefield. This essential early print resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Today, prints and high-resolution imagery of this artwork frequently enter the public domain, allowing broad access to foundational documentation of the Civil War era.