Boston Is for Weekends | Of Light and Air: Winslow Homer in Watercolor
- This Cafe Life
- Nov 6
- 3 min read
Boston’s fall art season opens with one of the year’s most anticipated exhibitions — Of Light and Air: Winslow Homer in Watercolor at the Museum of Fine Arts. Nearly 50 watercolors, many unseen for half a century, return to view from November 2 through January 10, 2026.
Homer’s work resonates deeply with me. His quiet studies of New England’s coast, especially Maine, reflect an honesty and commitment to his craft I admire. His watercolors, in particular, aren’t just studies of place; they’re exercises in patience and restraint, reminding us that simplicity, when executed with intent, is powerful.
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A Life in Progress: From Illustration to Mastery
Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1836, Winslow Homer’s path to mastery began in print. He apprenticed as a lithographer before working as a freelance illustrator for Harper’s Weekly, documenting American life — including vivid depictions from the Civil War. His training as an illustrator grounded his work in precision and composition, skills that later shaped his approach to painting.
After the war, Homer focused on quiet moments of rural and coastal life: schoolchildren, farmers, and fishermen rendered with clarity and depth. His time spent in Gloucester, Massachusetts, and later at his family's home in Prouts Neck, Maine, solidified his dedication to depicting coastal life — its unpredictability, rhythm, and solitude.
Watercolor came later. Travels in Europe, particularly in England’s northern coast, introduced Homer to softer light, looser brushwork, and the atmospheric potential of the medium. Returning to New England, he used watercolor not as study but as final expression — a balance of control and spontaneity that defined his mature style.
Homer’s evolution from illustrator to painter to watercolorist reflects a deepening relationship with both craft and subject. Each stage refined his understanding of light, space, and mood, culminating in work that feels timeless, immediate, and distinctly American.
The Exhibition
Winslow Homer (1836–1910) remains one of America’s most important artists, known for transforming watercolor into a serious medium of expression. His works explore life along the sea, the daily rhythm of work and weather, and the natural drama of New England’s landscape.
This exhibition spans Homer’s full career — from early Cambridge sketches to the coastal studies created at his studio in Prouts Neck, Maine. Highlights include The Adirondack Guide (1894), The Dory (1887), and Leaping Trout (1889) — pieces so fragile they’ve been shielded from light for decades.
“Every generation gets a turn to see these works,” says MFA curator Ethan Lasser. “This is your chance before they go back to bed for another 50 years.”
The show also includes an homage to Homer’s mother, Henrietta Benson Homer, herself a watercolorist, and a small selection of works by other female artists of his era. Together, they frame a fuller story about creativity, observation, and the natural world that inspired them all.
If You Go
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston mfa.org
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA
November 2, 2025 – January 10, 2026
Don’t Miss: The Art of the Americas Wing, where Homer’s Fog Warning (1885) is permanently displayed — one of the MFA’s defining maritime works.
Where to Eat & Stay Nearby
Dining
Deuxave (Commonwealth Ave): Refined French-inspired cuisine, elegant but approachable.
Krasi (Back Bay): Modern Greek wines and shared plates.
Flour Bakery (Mass Ave): Perfect for coffee and a pastry before the exhibit.
Stay
The Newbury Boston: Elegant, historic, steps from the Public Garden.
The Eliot Hotel: Quiet, classic, and walking distance to the MFA.
Homer’s art continues to resonate because it captures what’s lasting — light, weather, water, and work. His sense of place mirrors the same coastal solitude that continues to inspire me. There’s honesty in his restraint — an understanding that detail only matters when it serves something greater.
If you’re planning a Boston weekend this season, make time for this show. It’s not just an exhibition; it’s a reminder to pause, look closely, and let art do what it does best — reconnect us to the world around us.
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