The Wreck of the Atlantic - Cast Up by the Sea
1873 National Gallery of Art
About this artwork
This wood engraving was published in Harper's Weekly on April 26, 1873, illustrating the aftermath of the sinking of the SS Atlantic off the coast of Nova Scotia. It is a stark example of Homer's work as a magazine illustrator, a role that heavily influenced his later career as a painter.
Did you know?
This harrowing scene captures one of the deadliest maritime disasters in the Atlantic Ocean during the 19th century, where over 500 lives were lost. Winslow Homer’s stark, journalistic rendering for Harper's Weekly brought the visceral reality of the tragedy directly into the living rooms of the American public. It serves as a poignant reminder of the era's reliance on wood-engraved illustrations to disseminate urgent news before the widespread adoption of photo-journalism.
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The Wreck of the Atlantic - Cast Up by the Sea
Winslow Homer, 1873
