Winslow Homer (1836–1910) is considered one of the most significant American painters of the nineteenth century. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, and mainly self-taught, Homer started his career as a commercial illustrator. During the Civil War (1861–1865) he was sent to the front lines to sketch battle scenes and camp life for Harper’s magazine.
The Veteran in a New Field
Homer completed the following painting in 1865, a few months after the end of the Civil War.