Winslow Homer

Homer focused his attention on the rocky shores near his studio at Prout’s Neck, Maine, during the final decades of his career. In this view of a sailing ship in the crashing Atlantic, the somber palette, aggressive brushstrokes, and open, square format address human vulnerability in the face of nature’s dominating presence. The title refers to leeward winds that blow towards the coastline; a craft that cannot alter its course to windward risks being run aground or dashed upon the rocks. This dramatic composition was one of the first important American paintings to enter the RISD Museum’s collection.