A Fisherman's Daughter

1873

Winslow Homer

(American, 1836–1910)

Culture

America

Medium

watercolor and gouache over graphite

Measurements

Sheet: 24.2 x 32.9 cm (9 1/2 x 12 15/16 in.)

Credit Line

Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1943.660

You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Location

Not on view

Description

Homer created some of the most luminous and influential watercolors in the history of the medium. A Fisherman’s Daughter, painted in Gloucester, Massachusetts, is among a group of works that represent his first sustained use of the medium. Here, three girls sit on the shore of a sunlit beach and play with a lobster. Their downcast eyes suggest a solemn tranquility to their activity. The life of the local fishermen was perilous; they often spent weeks away from home and were sometimes lost at sea. Thus, waiting was a central part of life for Gloucester families. An overturned boat on the dunes behind the figures evokes the ominous form of a coffin.