The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston is presenting a rare opportunity to view nearly 50 of Winslow Homer's watercolor paintings in a major exhibition that marks the first time in almost half a century that this extensive collection has been displayed together. The exhibition, titled "Of Light and Air: Winslow Homer in Watercolor," celebrates the 19th-century American artist's mastery of the watercolor medium while highlighting his deep connections to Boston, New England, and the museum itself.
The show opens with one of Homer's most iconic works, "The Blue Boat" from 1892. Co-curator Christina Michelon notes that while visitors may recognize this piece from reproductions throughout the museum's gift shop, parking garage displays, and countless books, experiencing the original watercolor offers an entirely different perspective. The painting, which depicts two hunters paddling through a marshy stream beneath a cloudy blue sky, was last displayed in 2010 due to the light-sensitive nature of watercolor paintings.
"The Blue Boat" represents Homer at the peak of his watercolor technique, according to Michelon. After decades of studying and perfecting various watercolor methods, Homer deployed every skill he had learned in creating this tranquil scene. The artist employed both wet and dry brush techniques, applied washes, and used spattering effects to achieve remarkable depth and atmosphere. Particularly striking is what Michelon describes as an "audacious" single blue line running across the bottom of the composition, meant to evoke the reflection of the vibrant blue boat on the gently disturbed water surface.
The Museum of Fine Arts houses the world's largest collection of Homer's watercolors, largely due to the artist's Boston roots and local connections. Born in Boston and raised in Cambridge, Homer developed a strong network of fans and collectors in the area who later donated or bequeathed their acquisitions to the museum. The MFA holds the distinction of being the first museum to purchase one of Homer's watercolors - "Leaping Trout" from 1889, which features a luminous, ethereal fish and joined the collection in 1899.
Homer's artistic journey began in his teenage years as a lithography apprentice at Bufford's Lithography on Beacon Hill, where he developed fundamental skills in composition and design that would later serve him as a painter. He transitioned to illustration work for various periodicals, including Ballou's Pictorial in Boston and Harper's Weekly in New York City. His work with Harper's Weekly led to a significant assignment documenting the front lines of the Civil War during the 1860s, which shaped his artistic perspective and subject matter.
While Homer spent considerable time living, illustrating, and painting in New York City, he maintained strong ties to his Boston-area family. He regularly returned to visit his family at their Belmont home, particularly during holidays like the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving. His mother played a particularly influential role in his watercolor pursuits, as Michelon suggests she may have been "the one that maybe put the brush in his hand to begin with."
Growing up near the ocean profoundly influenced Homer's artistic development, and the exhibition demonstrates how he refined his watercolor practice in coastal Massachusetts locations like Manchester-by-the-Sea and Gloucester. These areas served as a summer destination for 19th-century painters, providing Homer with endless inspiration for his evocative and remarkably realistic coastal scenes. His 1880 work "Two Boys Rowing" exemplifies this period, showing his experimentation with how vessels reflect on water and the effects of light hitting water surfaces.
In 1884, Homer established a permanent studio at Prouts Neck, Maine, where his family owned property. This coastal setting became central to his late career work, with life at sea and the dramatic power of the ocean emerging as dominant themes. The Maine coastline provided him with the perfect environment to further develop his watercolor techniques while capturing the raw beauty and force of maritime life.
The exhibition concludes with Homer's final painting, "Driftwood," completed in 1909. Although painted in oil rather than watercolor, Michelon points out that careful observation reveals many of the watercolor techniques Homer had perfected throughout his career. The painting sold on the same day Homer sent it to his dealers, demonstrating the continued demand for his work. Despite his success in multiple mediums, Homer himself predicted that watercolor would define his artistic legacy, telling a friend late in his career, "you will see in the future I will live by my watercolors."
Winslow Homer died in Maine in 1910 but was laid to rest at Cambridge's Mount Auburn Cemetery, maintaining his connection to the Boston area even in death. His artistic spirit continues to live through the Museum of Fine Arts' extensive collection and this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition. "Of Light and Air: Winslow Homer in Watercolor" runs through January 19, offering visitors a rare chance to experience these light-sensitive masterpieces that are seldom displayed due to their fragile nature.
