The Watcher, Tynemouth
1882
Standing alone against a brooding, storm-tossed sea, a solitary woman in a heavy dark dress and shawl gazes out at the churning white waves. Winslow Homer captured this moody scene in 1882 during his time in Tynemouth, England, where he became fascinated by the rugged, often perilous lives of coastal fishing communities. Using a loose, expressive technique, he perfectly conveys the raw power of the ocean and the quiet resilience of the figure waiting on the shore, leaving us to wonder who she is watching for.