Building a Smudge
1891 Philadelphia Museum of Art
About this artwork
This watercolor depicts two men sitting on a rock in a riverbed, preparing a small fire to create smoke. It is part of Homer's celebrated body of work focusing on outdoor life and wilderness scenes.
Did you know?
Winslow Homer created this piece during a trip to the Adirondack Mountains, a region he frequented to capture the rugged beauty of the American wilderness. The 'smudge' refers to a small, smoky fire built by woodsmen to keep black flies and mosquitoes away, a common and necessary practice for survival in the deep woods during the summer months.
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Building a Smudge
Winslow Homer, 1891
