Boy with Anchor by Winslow Homer
Look first

Boy with Anchor

Winslow Homer · 1873

A child beside an anchor turns a quiet shoreline into a story about waiting and risk.

What to notice

Notice how the heavy anchor contrasts with the young figure; object and body carry very different kinds of weight.

Discover

Homer painted children around Gloucester's fishing community rather than showing only heroic sailors. The watercolor hints at the danger faced by families whose livelihoods depended on the sea.

Source institution: Cleveland Museum of Art
Rights status: CC0 / Cleveland Museum of Art Open Access
Cleveland Museum of Art
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