"Winter" – A Skating Scene (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. XII)

"Winter" – A Skating Scene (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. XII) by Winslow Homer is a pivotal American illustration produced in 1868. This work is a fine example of a wood engraving, a technical medium essential for mass-produced images in nineteenth-century periodicals. The piece was originally published in Harper's Weekly, Volume XII, demonstrating Winslow Homer’s significant early career as a prolific illustrator capturing contemporary American life and events before he transitioned primarily to oil painting.

The composition depicts a lively winter day centered around the popular pastime of ice skating. Homer excelled at documenting scenes of leisure and changing social customs following the Civil War, and this engraving features numerous women and girls actively participating in the activity. The focus on female subjects enjoying public recreation highlights important shifts in gender roles and increased visibility for women outside the traditional home sphere during the late 1860s.

The execution of the Winter print showcases Homer's emerging talent for rendering figures in motion and achieving complex tonal contrasts using the restrictive nature of the wood engraving technique. These detailed journalistic prints served as vital documentation for daily life across the United States. As a crucial historical document and artistic print, the work resides in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, helping scholars understand Homer's stylistic development. Due to its age and publication history, this 1868 illustration is widely accessible as a public domain work, contributing to the rich history of American prints.