Where can I see Breezing Up?

This beloved Winslow Homer painting is at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

What is the boat in Breezing Up?

It's a catboat, a type of sailboat popular in New England. Homer named it the 'Gloucester' after the Massachusetts fishing port where he painted.

How long did Homer work on this painting?

Homer spent about three years developing this composition through watercolors and oil sketches before completing the final canvas around 1876.

Where Is Breezing Up (A Fair Wind)? Museum Location

Finished in 1876 by Winslow Homer, scene of a catboat sailing into Gloucester harbor around 1873-1876. A man and three boys ride the tilting deck, their catch visible in the boat. The title captures both the fresh breeze filling the sail and the optimistic spirit of young America.

Homer worked on the painting for three years, refining the composition through watercolors and sketches. The diagonal of the sail, the spray of the waves, and the leaning figures create dynamic tension balanced by the calm horizon.

This is one of Homer's most beloved paintings and a centerpiece of American art at the National Gallery of Art.

Breezing Up (A Fair Wind)

Details

Where to See It

The Artist

Breezing Up Series by Winslow Homer

Breezing Up (A Fair Wind)

More by Winslow Homer

Croquet Scene

The Country School

The Gulf Stream

Right and Left

Also at National Gallery of Art

Gian Federico Madruzzo Oil Canvas Giovanni Battista[1]

Dancer in pink dress

Holy Family

The Harbor at Lorient

Related American Realism Works

American Gothic

Nighthawks

Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose

Jack-in-the-Pulpit No. IV

Madame X

A Ride for Liberty – The Fugitive Slaves

The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit

Dempsey and Firpo

About Breezing Up (A Fair Wind)

Own Art Like This