Thanksgiving Day in the Army – After Dinner: The Wish-Bone (from "Harper's Weekly," Vol. VIII)

Winslow Homer|Harper's Weekly|Harper & Brothers

December 3, 1864 · Wood engraving · Drawings and Prints

Homer’s image of Union soldiers breaking a wishbone in camp after a Thanksgiving meal in 1864 conveys the hope that the Civil War might be drawing to a close. Indeed, within four months the Confederate capital of Richmond would fall and General Robert E. Lee would surrender. Superficially naturalistic, the scene is filled with objects that can be read symbolically: war drums are stacked peaceably in the background, and soldiers rest, smoke, and play, the only visible weapon a sheathed sword. The centrality of a simple game associated with a shared family feast suggests where the soldier’s thoughts are focused. By this date Homer was devoting himself primarily to painting, and the solemn, monumental figures here reflect his compositions in oil.

Artist

Winslow Homer|Harper's Weekly|Harper & Brothers

Date

December 3, 1864

Medium

Wood engraving

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1928