Dr. Allen says:

The Addison has a superb collection of works by Winslow Homer covering most phases of his career. Coincidentally, I arrive at Andover from a museum, the Clark Art Institute, which also has great Homer holdings. For seven years I've worked closely with the Clark 's Homers, and now I have the opportunity to look at a new but also important array of the artist's work. It's a thrill for me. In preparing this show, I've cast my fresh eye on the Addison 's Homers. The labels are conversational, which is untraditional for a museum. I hope my comments will engage you, the viewer and reader, in a conversation with your teachers, friends, family, and, of course, with some truly wonderful art.

Winslow Homer (1836-1910)
Perils of the Sea, 1888
etching
bequest of A. G. Heidrich, Jr. (PA 1939), in loving memory of his wife Elizabeth
© Addison Gallery of American Art

Homer lived from 1836 to 1910. He was a realist, which means to me that he was fascinated with the "now," with everyday life, and with exact points in time. It's always useful to remember that for the first twenty years of his career Homer was one of the country's foremost newspaper illustrators. In looking at Homer, it's good to think of him as a reporter. A great newspaper reporter can tell a dramatic, nuanced story using a few pithy lines. Homer had that same ability, using paint, a pencil, or an etching needle to convey at a glance the most penetratingcommentary, the most delicate moods, the gravest dangers, and the most profound powers. Seemingly simple stories in his hands very quickly become big, complex stories.