The Fog Warning

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For my essay I chose to write about The Fog Warning by Winslow Homer. I chose this piece not only because of how much this piece is referenced in the education of art but also while I was looking around for a topic to write about I came across it and it was so captivating. The way everything is placed within allows the eyes to wander as though you discovered something new every time you look at it. This piece is world renowned for its ability of capturing some of the great themes of human and nature. When I am looking at a painting I always try to see the artist in the work because I feel that each piece of art you create shows a piece of who you are. Winslow Homer was born in 1836 Boston Massachusetts and raised in rural Cambridge. He was…show more content…
He spent time in Cullercoats which was a fishing village and an artists’ colony. Shortly after returning to the United States late in 1882, he moved to Prout’s Neck, Maine, and another popular fishing town, where he painted the local population at work. The Fog Warning is one of three paintings he produced at Prout’s Neck in 1885 describing the lives of the North Atlantic fishermen. The Fog Warning is a painting with a narrative, although it is not a particularly happy story. I enjoyed the way one of the articles told the story of this image. “The fisherman in this picture has been successful. But the hardest task of the day, the return to the main ship, is still ahead of him. He turns to look at the horizon, measuring the distance to the mother ship, and to safety. The seas are choppy and the dory rocks high on the waves, making it clear that the journey home will require considerable physical effort. But more threatening is the approaching fog bank, whose streamers echo, even mock, the fisherman’s profile.” This painting was so popular manly because it showed you would never experience if you were not a fishermen. It is set off the coast of Newfoundland in the outer banks and really shows the emotion, fear, struggle, and determination of the fishermen to bring in the catch and return home to his family. When looking at the painting you can see the determination on the sailors face as he is going over a large wave in such a small boat, taking the opportunity to get his brings and find out where his ship is located. When he looks back and spots his ship he sees a large cloud of fog moving in from behind the ship. This being out the feeling of isolation and having no one else to rely on but yourself. This causes a sense of panic in the viewer, causing them to think what if he does not return in time, what if the ship is lost in the dense fog? When you looking at the sailor you cannot

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