‘Snap-the-Whip,’ 1873. Wood engraving drawn by Homer and engraved at Harper’s premises. 13½ x 20½. Harper’s Weekly, XVII (September 20, 1873): 824–825. This engraving is a version of Homer’s painting of 1872; like British artists, Homer often presented his imagery in painting and in black and white, using one as a source for the other. The scene shown here is a popular game of the time, with children hanging on to each other in a long line – and the final ones struggling to hang on. Homer’s dynamic composition stresses the movement, with the legs and feet forming a series of visual rhymes to create an undulating arabesque. The background is another vision of rural America.
Photograph and text by Simon Cooke. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Bibliography
Harper’s Weekly (1874).
Created 29 August 2023