Open full image Pin

Skirmish Involving a Wagon Train [verso]

Winslow Homer

1864

charcoal

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

Skirmish Involving a Wagon Train [verso] is a 1864 charcoal by Winslow Homer, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Winslow Homer
When & what style?: 1864 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a chaotic scene with horses and people tangled together. A wagon is stuck in the middle, with figures running around it. The lines are loose and quick, like hurried notes. The paper is brown and rough, making the charcoal stand out in dark patches. It looks like a first try—raw and unfinished, but full of movement. Next, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build texture with lines.