The Veteran in a New Field

This painting from 1865 features a farmer harvesting wheat. The composition is carefully designed to simplify the content down to just a few details, creating an intimate atmosphere in which we observe this worker going about his daily routine.

Something striking about this piece is the use of colour, with thick bands of bright oil covering most of the scene. The blue tones that stretch across the sky have little variation, and the same can be said with the yellows of the wheat. In order to direct our eyes, Homer appends some bright white tones on the back of the worker, as well as placing him directly in the centre of the piece. He is afforded an anonymity, however, by having his back to us, and also his face is darkened by the shadow of his hat. This makes us want to learn more about the farmer himself, but we are left with questions unanswered. In terms of artistic style, one can spot clear similarities, or influences, from other art movements. The tones and style of detail might remind some of later works by Van Gogh, though Homer himself came befoe that point. There were also French artists such as Millet and Courbet also addressed this type of content, with considerable success it must be said. Farm workers had appeared within art for many centuries, with other examples being found in the Northern Renaissance and probably dating far beyond that as well. There is something calming about The Veteran in a New Field, though there is also some detail lying below the surface which adds an extra layer of interest to this painting.

There is an historical element in this piece, as touched on by the term of veteran within the title. The painting was completed in the final year of the American Civil War and therefore focuses on the transition of soldiers back into society. Perhaps this provides a positive outlook in which this gentleman is no-longer in battle, but instead working hard in the quiet, beautiful American landscape. Whilst on his own, we can feel a quietness within this painting, a tranquility which has returned to his life after several years of military turmoil. The inclusion of wheat may refer to the North's victory over the South, because this was a crop traditionally grown in northern regions, but that may just be a coincidence. When considering the historical aspect of this piece, it therefore makes The Veteran in a New Field a very important addition to the collection of the Met in New York. Having been sold privately soon after being finished, the piece would eventually be gifted to the museum, allowing the general public to see it in person.

The Veteran in a New Field can be found today at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. This American institution has perhaps the best survey of this artist's work, and their selection of art from Winslow Homer's career also includes a good variety of mediums, including further oil paintings, etchings, watercolours and drawings. Some of the other highlights to be found here include the likes of The Gulf Stream, Northeaster and Prisoners from the Front. They therefore cover his seascapes and landscapes, allowing visitors to get a good understanding about the artist, with further essays available online which delve deeper into his life and career. The Met covers a wide range of regions and civilisations but, naturally, there is also a strong focus on American art within the museum and Winslow Homer remains an important part of that. Most historical landscape art comes from European painters, but the 19th century marked the arrival of a number of American painters who brought with them their own ideas and techniques.