Thanksgiving Day - Ways and Means - Winslow Homer
Archival giclée
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Description
A detailed wood engraving by Winslow Homer from 1858, depicting a rural Thanksgiving scene with figures and livestock.
This wood engraving, titled Thanksgiving Day - Ways and Means, appeared in the 27 November 1858 issue of Harper's Weekly. It represents an early example of Winslow Homer's work as a freelance illustrator before he achieved his later reputation for maritime paintings. The composition captures a rural scene of preparation for the holiday, focusing on the movement of goods and livestock.
In the foreground, a group of turkeys occupies the space, rendered with attention to their plumage and posture. Behind them, figures are engaged in the labour of loading a wagon. The wagon itself is laden with produce, including crates marked with the name Belmont. A hayrick stands to the right, providing a sense of scale and rural context. A small dog stands near the bottom right, observing the activity. The scene is typical of the genre illustrations that were popular in nineteenth-century American periodicals, providing readers with a visual narrative of domestic and seasonal life.
Homer's technique here relies on the precise, linear marks characteristic of wood engraving, a medium that allowed for mass reproduction in newspapers. The cross-hatching and varied line weights define the textures of the hay, the feathers of the birds, and the rough clothing of the figures. The image functions as a social document of the period, reflecting the agrarian roots of the Thanksgiving tradition. By focusing on the practical aspects of the holiday, the work avoids sentimentality, instead offering a grounded view of nineteenth-century life. The print is a clear example of the commercial illustration work that sustained many artists during this era, demonstrating Homer's early ability to organise complex scenes within a restricted format.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
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Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
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- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
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Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Thanksgiving Day - Ways and Means - Winslow Homer
Artist Biography
Winslow Homer
He moved from illustration to painting without formal training, learning oil technique largely by observation. His early paintings are genre scenes of rural American life: children playing, women on croquet lawns, the kind of post-war pastoral that the public wanted. They sold well. He was dissatisfied with them.
In 1881 he went to Cullercoats, a fishing village in northeast England, and spent two years painting the women who waited on the shore for the fishing boats to return. The Cullercoats paintings are darker, more dramatic, and more serious than anything he had made before. The sea became his subject.
He moved to Prouts Neck, Maine, in 1883 and lived there, mostly alone, for the rest of his life. The Maine paintings, The Gulf Stream, Northeaster, Right and Left, are about the confrontation between human beings and the ocean. The figures are small. The water is enormous. The light is cold. He painted the sea the way Constable painted clouds: from direct observation, over years, until he understood its behaviour.
His watercolours, made on fishing trips to the Adirondacks, Florida, and the Bahamas, are freer and more experimental than the oils. Tropical sunlight and clear water brought out colours he did not use in Maine. He died in 1910, at seventy-four.
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