Teach with Collections: Winslow Homer, At the Window

In 1872, Homer produced four closely related scenes featuring this woman (dressed similarly in all four), pensively standing or seated near a window with a view of the landscape outside. Homer chose this painting from the group to exhibit in 1873 in New York. One of the reviews described the painted figure as "a Salem girl," referring to the Massachusetts seaport‚—and setting the stage for the work's interpretation as a depiction of the bereaved companion of a sailor lost at sea.

Conversation prompts: 1. Describe the details of the figure's expression, pose, and dress, and relate them to her setting.

2. What is the relationship between exterior and interior in this painting? Why might it be important with regard to the theme of nostalgia?

3. What kind of mood is suggested through the contrasts in light and shadow and the use of color?

4. What do you notice about the particular brushstrokes the artist used and how they vary across the surface of the canvas?