Punishment for Intoxication (In Front of the Guardhouse)
1863 Museum of Fine Arts Boston
About this artwork
An oil painting depicting a Union soldier standing on a wooden box as a disciplinary punishment for intoxication in front of a guardhouse. It is a poignant observation of daily life and military discipline during the American Civil War.
Did you know?
Winslow Homer served as a war artist-correspondent during the American Civil War, and his depictions of camp life are considered some of the most authentic records of the era. This work captures a common form of humiliation known as 'riding the wooden horse' or standing on a box, intended to shame soldiers for drunkenness rather than using corporal punishment. Homer's focus on the mundane realities of the soldier's life helped define the 'American' character of the Civil War experience.
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Punishment for Intoxication (In Front of the Guardhouse)
Winslow Homer, 1863
