The Veteran in a New Field
1865 Metropolitan Museum of Art
About this artwork
This oil on canvas painting depicts a solitary farmer working in a golden wheat field with a scythe. Painted shortly after the conclusion of the American Civil War, it serves as a powerful symbol of post-war reconstruction and the return of soldiers to civilian life.
Did you know?
Winslow Homer painted this piece shortly after the Civil War ended, and the title refers to a soldier transitioning back to civilian life. If you look closely, you can see his Union army canteen and jacket discarded on the ground in the bottom right corner, symbolizing the literal laying down of weapons to pursue the harvest. It is a poignant commentary on both the devastation of war and the hope for national recovery.
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The Veteran in a New Field
Winslow Homer, 1865
