Art Institute of Chicago

Breaking Storm, Coast of Maine

Winslow HomerLinkedCulture matchlcp-bcddaaacf48f

Date: 1894
Medium: Transparent watercolor, with touches of opaque watercolor, rewetting, blotting and traces of scraping, on thick, rough-textured, ivory wove paper
Culture: United States
Department: Prints and Drawings
Institution: Art Institute of Chicago
Object ID: 16779

From the Art Institute of Chicago record

Breaking Storm, Coast of Maine is a study of bands of juxtaposed color constructed along a strong horizon line, emphasized by a thick, dark line. Despite Homer’s indication of impending bad weather moving in from the horizon, this watercolor focuses on a moment of calm before the storm. The water’s turquoise surface is smooth and tranquil, achieved by pure, transparent washes. The artist’s loose, abstract handling of the rugged shore in the foreground calls attention to the sheer beauty of his brushstrokes. Homer conjured the effect of land, sea, and sky seen through a veil of rain and humidity by painting wet-on-wet. In this manner, the artist introduced a new wash into one that is still wet, allowing colors to run and blend without solid boundaries. Evidence indicates that Homer learned the practice from studying Japanese ink paintings and began to employ it extensively beginning in 1889.

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Provenance & credit

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Credit line: Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson Collection
Provenance: The artist to his brother, Charles S. Homer, Jr. (1834–1917), New York, by 1910 [according to correspondence from Abigail Booth Gerdts to the Art Institute, February 10, 2007]. Charles W. Gould (1849–1931), New York, by 1915 [Brooklyn exh. cat. 1915]. Sold by Knoedler and Company, New York, to Martin A. Ryerson (1856–1932), Chicago, November 11, 1915 [invoice]; given to the Art Institute, 1933.

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Object type: AAT300033973

Part of LinkedCulture topics

American Landscape and Coastal Paintings
These works are 19th-century oil paintings depicting natural landscapes and seascapes from the northeastern United States, particularly coastal New England regions and rocky shores.
140 objects from 4 institutions
American Watercolor Landscape Art
These objects are predominantly watercolor and drawing works by American artists depicting natural landscapes, outdoor recreational activities, and coastal or wilderness scenes from the 19th century.
63 objects from 3 institutions