WINSLOW HOMER (1836-1910)
Provenance
James H. Dole, ChicagoGeorge S. Dole, Chicago, by descent from above
Mrs. George S. Dole, Chicago
John J.Foley, Minneapolis (probably the son-in-law of Mrs. George S. Dole)
Kennedy Galleries, New York
Private Collection Florida
Private Collection, Boston
Private Collection
Literature
Lloyd Goodrich and Abigail Booth Gerdts, Record of Works by Winslow Homer, Volume III: 1877 through March 1881, New York, 2005, p. 258, no. 850 (illustrated)This watercolor is included in the artists catalogue raisonne and relates closely to other early examples from Houghton Farm, including Fresh Air from 1878 in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum. Its serene orchard scene, rendered with a soft and muted palette, reflects the themes of nostalgia, calm, and peace that define Homer's Restoration period. The transparency of the watercolor medium allows Homer to create a delicate, atmospheric impression of a misty morning, animated by touches of bright color in the figures dress patterns, the bow on a hat, a headwrap, and the bluebird perched on a branch.
The continued importance of Homer's watercolor practice is affirmed by the current exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Of Light and Air: Winslow Homer in Watercolor, which underscores the enduring resonance of works from this transformative period. Houghton Farms (Girls Strolling in an Orchard) stands as a beautifully preserved example from the moment when Homer embraced watercolor as his primary mode of expression, illuminating the quiet lyricism that came to define his mature art.

