Of all the traditional media, watercolor has always been my favorite. The visual quality of watercolor paintings exude a gentle, mellow quality compared to other medium like acrylic, gouache and oil paint. This is also the reason why I love the illustrations of Hayao Miyazaki, who paints primarily in watercolors.

This hardcover volume showcases the stunning watercolor art of American landscape painter Winslow Homer, a collection of 50 pieces that the artist painted in a variety of locations across several different continents. The images are evocative, introspective and somewhat melancholic all at the same time. A beautiful visual journey and a feast for the eyes.

Publisher synopsis –

Resplendent watercolors of the 19th-century world by New England native Winslow Homer.

“You will see,” said American artist Winslow Homer, “in the future I will live by my watercolors.” From his early forays into pastoral landscapes to his more mature works encompassing the maritime scenes for which he is best known, Homer’s watercolors are most remarkable for their reverence of nature and the people who thrive within its conditions―sketches that are both quaint and sublime in scope.

Boasting one of the most significant collections of Homer’s watercolors in the United States, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, presents a luminous collection of nearly 50 works that demonstrate the artist’s mastery of the medium. Readers will be transported to the rugged Maine coast, the rivers and streams of the Adirondacks, the weathered shores of seaside England and the bright beaches of the Caribbean. The many facets of these environments―ecological, artistic, social and economic―are reflected in Homer’s thoughtful compositions that, though more than 100 years old, shine with a modern effervescence.

Winslow Homer (1836–1910) was born in Boston and apprenticed to a commercial lithographer. He taught himself painting while working as a freelance illustrator for Harper’s and other magazines. In 1883 he moved into his permanent home and studio in Prouts Neck, Maine, but continued to find inspiration in his travels to Canada, Cuba, the Bahamas, Key West and the Adirondacks.

Winslow Homer is an artist that I’ve been aware of ever since I started my art education back in the day, but I’ve never been very familiar with his work. I was however captivated by this book after a chance browsing in a bookstore in Tokyo earlier this spring. Given the very affordable price of the book ( less than $15 at the time of writing ), and in a hardcover format as well, I cannot recommend this enough.

“Winslow Homer In Watercolor” art book details :

– Dimensions – 9.84 x 0.79 x 10.63 inches
– Hardcover, 160 pages
– Full color

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