Nassau, for Homer, was a radical contrast to his new home in Maine, the isolated, rugged Prout's Neck by the sea, where he had moved permanently in 1884. He responded immediately to the brilliant tropical sunlight, the primitive life, and the lush vegetation. The watercolors that resulted were the most direct, colorful, fresh and sure that he had yet done, with bold compositions that were at once simple and monumental. They marked a new departure for the artist, with a direct naturalism, vigor, and strength of color that he was to develop further during the rest of his life.

Source: DMAC Bulletin, January, 1967

In 1884, Homer received a commission from the conservative Century Magazine to illustrate “A Midwinter Resort,” an upcoming article focusing on Nassau, the port city of the Bahamas. Homer was arguably America’s leading watercolorist at the time, and the Bahamas was fast becoming a respite for Americans who yearned to escape bitter winter temperatures. During his two month stay, Homer painted this work and over thirty others that depict Nassau’s luminous landscape. Two years later, “A Midwinter Resort” was published and included nine woodcut engravings based on Homer’s watercolors. Unfortunately, the artist’s loose handling of paint and vivid palette was lost in the published images.

October, 2020