The Fox Hunt

The Fox Hunt is an oil on canvas painting that was done in 1893 by Winslow Homer. The main character in the painting is a fox that is almost sinking in the thick snow of mid-winter.

As such, the fox is seen struggling its way through the coast of New England looking for food. To make matters worse, the fox is surrounded by crows that are likely to attack it for food. However, this is not possible as the thick snow hinders the crows. Further, their small number means that the fox has power over them. Regardless, the crows are likely to attack since the typography hinders the fox advancement and defense.

To paint the fox accurately, Homer used a fox's pelt that he'd previously received as a gift from a hunter. As such, this gives him a blueprint to work with, thus making his painting more real and detailed. Along with the present were crows that he also sketched into the canvas. As such, this only caused the painting limp. So, to cater for this, he threw in some corn that would attract the crows into the painting. As such, this makes the crows blend in with the picture. The lower left of the piece art has Homer's signature in the form of an "R." The "R" resembles the tail of the fox and can be found in the sinking on the snow.

The Fox Hunt is a Darwinian painting that signifies the survival of the fittest. For instance, the canvas has a red-orange fox. Foxes are often regarded as a spiritual animal that combats situations with passion. In this case, the fox remains agile and strides to survive in a terrible environment. Aside from the punitive weather conditions, the fox is also surrounded by a murder of crows. The crow is another mysterious animal that symbolizes both intelligence and audaciousness. As such, both the two animals in the painting inspire hope; hope that everything is possible provided one is determined and spiritual enough.

Superstitions aside, the painting shows the relationship between homer and the fox. For instance, Homer was a social aloof who was as shy as a novice monk, a similar character that is in foxes. As seen above, the painting displays Homer's brilliance in painting the world. For instance, Homer uses deep colours to bring intricate detail to the canvas. Further, this is also shown when he adds a shadowing effect under the fox, thus giving the painting more depth. Currently, the picture is at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.