Winslow Homers Maine Coast is a picture that convinces us in this way, and I call it a masterpiece, with a full sense of what the term implies. Mr. Homer is an American artist who received little instruction from masters or in art schools. He has studied nature faithfully, and he has found his way to complete expression almost alone. He is not primarily a painter of the figure, as Millet was; but there is some analogy in the methods of the two men, and considerable similarity, judging from their works, in their points of view. Millet did excellent academic work in his school-days, painted some wonderful portraits and soon afterward, and finally, at Barbizon, developed his synthetic interpretations of rustic subjects. Homer has not made much of the figure part of his compositions, except in a few cases; but in so far as he has painted figures he has treated them synthetically, as Millet did. But he has much less grasp of form. His best works are pictures of the sea. In some of them there are figures. In this category, belong the five or six masterly works, exhibited at the World's Fair in 1893, which depict fishermen in their boats on the Grand Banks, and the celebrated "Eight Bells." The others are simple marines, shore motives principally, that have been painted of late years. "Maine Coast" is one of them.

Winslow Homer 'Maine Coast' 1894

The composition shows some dark rocks in the foreground, one or two of which are covered with seaweed, and swirling, foaming water rushing through after the receding of a mighty wave that has just pounded over them. Beyond is the sea, which with great rolling mountains of water, breaking at their crests into white spray. The rain-beaten expanse of the ocean rises high in the picture, and meets a sky of lowering gray. The impression of a wild, squally day is admirably given, and the handling of the subject, quite apart from the technical requirements, is comprehensive and lofty. as to the painting, it is this, of course, which makes the picture such a triumph of art. It is virile and broad. The drawing is simple and big and the color, while veracious, is exceedingly distinguished. The truthful aspect of the work- the result of highly trained artistic powers of observation- and the effect of the picture as a whole, attracting by its pure pictorial quality are equally remarkable.

Winslow Homer 'Eight Bells'

"The Lookout- All is Well," is one of those compositions in which Mr. Homer depicts with poetic sensibility, as well as with artistic strength, a picture of life at sea. "All is Well" is a type, not an individual. The ship's bell, with its ornamental metal fixtures, above his head, the starry sky, and , just over the rail, the white foam of a wave breaking as it slides into the place where, a moment before, another broke, are elements in the composition so rightly disposed and so sensitively rendered as to give the sentiment characteristic of the vastness of the deep and the lowliness of the hour. It is not worth while to find fault with the drawing of the sailor's head and hand, which might be criticized from the academic point of view. They are not faultless in construction. But they are sufficiently right to play their part in the general scheme without jarring. The effect of the moonlight is admirably rendered, and the figure, so well placed on the upright canvas, looms up in the night with the grave impressiveness of a storied bronze. The poetry of a humble but free and manly calling is put before us with simplicity, directness, and a sincerity that is as convincing in its expression as it is beautiful in pictorial aspect. There is a breath of great art in this picture, and if the artist had produced nothing but "The Lookout" and "Eight Bells", these two great works would be sufficient to give him a place in the first rank of the World's painters of the poetry of toil on the sea and land.

Sometime is is asked, "What might not Winslow Homer have done if he had had a thorough art education at the beginning of his career?" I fancy that those who ask this question do not know what a great school nature is when the pupil is a persistent searcher for the truth, and has the strength of purpose that has enabled Mr. Homer to find adequate forms of expression in his own way. In finding them he has become an artist whose work possesses a rare quality, which many who have been well trained to see, and yet do not know hot to look, are prone to miss. This quality is individuality.