How Did Winslow Homer Contribute To Art

Winslow Homer was an extremely talented artist and is considered one of the best painters of the 19th century in America. He received little art education and yet he thrived as a mostly self-taught artist. He worked in commercial illustrations for the first part of his life before deciding to live solely off the profits of his beautiful oil and watercolor works. Though he struggled financially during his life like most artists do, he is now widely recognized as one of the most acclaimed watercolor artists ever. Additionally, there was even a commemorative postage stamp issued in his honor after his passing. Winslow Homer’s young life, his artistic career, and specifically his famous watercolor works help to show his life and his legacy.
Born on February 24, 1836, Homer revealed his budding artistic talent at a young age which led to his art career that lasted throughout his life. His mother had a great positive effect on Homer’s life, and they remained close even though Homer’s father wasn’t always with them. Homer was also inspired towards art by his kind mother who was gifted with …show more content…
He was extremely talented at creating stunning paintings of water with simple strokes. (3)Though some of his customers and critics were against this less uniform and realistic style, many loved it, and because of his watercolor works, he was able to maintain his unstable finances a better. He began focusing mostly on his marine watercolor paintings because he moved near the sea in Massachusetts and he became naturally disposed to paint scenes of nature around him. This scene change clearly shows in the contrast between his previous works that centered on war and political issues and the later works of peaceful aquatic scenes. Overall, though Homer was a fantastic oil painter, he was an even more exceptional watercolor artist and he is remembered for his unique and marvelous watercolor