Description
Two Union soldiers pass a quiet moment at camp in Winslow Homer’s The Brierwood Pipe, painted in 1864. One carves a piece of wood while his companion watches with a lit pipe in hand. Their red trousers, blue jackets and tasseled caps bring strong color into the spare setting, with tents visible behind them. The painting observes wartime through an interval of ordinary activity rather than through combat.
The uniforms belong to a notably conspicuous military style that proved impractical in battle. Here, however, their color supports the close relationship between the seated figures. The title also echoes a contemporary poem about a soldier smoking and imagining his eventual return home. Homer’s restrained scene allows such thoughts to remain possible without making them explicit. Small tasks and shared company provide a temporary space of familiarity within a larger conflict.
Read our guide to giclée prints, browse more Winslow Homer prints, or explore The Veteran In A New Field.
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