Northeaster
Painting on canvas • Winslow Homer
Style & Movement
American Realism / Naturalism
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, utilizing heavy impasto for the foam and sea spray, with broad, vigorous brushstrokes and wet-on-wet technique to capture the churning water and turbulent atmosphere.
Creation Period
1895 (reworked by the artist in 1901)
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 87.6 x 127 cm (34 1/2 x 50 in); Landscape format
Subject Description
A powerful coastal scene depicting a surging wave crashing against rugged dark rocks during a nor'easter storm. The composition focuses on the raw power of nature, characterized by the contrast between the dark, solid rock and the kinetic, translucent green water and white spray.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent. The painting appears well-preserved within a museum-quality environment, maintaining vibrant color and the integrity of the impasto.
Estimated Market Value
$50,000,000 - $80,000,000 (Based on the rarity and museum-tier quality of Homer's late seascapes)
Auction Estimate
$40,000,000 - $60,000,000
Provenance History
Purchased from the artist by George A. Hearn in 1901; Gift of George A. Hearn to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1910.
Art Historical Significance
One of Homer's most famous seascapes, it represents the pinnacle of his late Maine period. It marks a shift from narrative human drama toward a pure, elemental confrontation with nature, influencing generations of American landscape painters.
Notable Features
The absence of human figures enhances the sense of isolation and elemental power; the signature and date are characteristic of Homer's later style; the ornate Gilded Age frame is likely contemporary with its acquisition by the original donor.
Condition Issues
Minor stable craquelure consistent with age; possible slight darkening of original varnish; the work was famously reworked by Homer himself years after its initial exhibition to remove figures of two fishermen on the rocks.
Conservation Recommendations
Maintain stable humidity (45-55%) and temperature; use UV-filtered museum glass if reglazed; periodic inspection for varnish yellowing.