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Little else in our world is as incomprehensible as our oceans, that vast body of water that surrounds us on all sides. It seems to fluctuate in moods and tempers, resting in a welcoming calm or roaring in dangerous anger whenever the gales suddenly turn. It\u2019s as enigmatic as the human mind, and, if we look hard enough beneath the waves, we may find a deeper understanding of ourselves and our society far below the dark-blue waters.\u00a0<\/p>\n
American painter Winslow Homer felt the call of the waters and dedicated his life to capturing the seas. Having grown up on the New England coast<\/a> in the 1800s, he found himself in awe of the waters that characterized his hometown. After spending the early part of his illustrator career documenting the Civil War, the spirit of battle never quite left him. Instead, it turned his attention toward a different type of war: the unending arms race between man and nature. He was fascinated by the many ways that humans are inextricably tied to the sea, whether for livelihood or leisure, and their many attempts to outwit the waters. However, despite their most valiant attempts, the sea remains unpredictable. Instead, Homer found himself fascinated by what the ocean can reveal about us.\u00a0<\/p>\n Even when painting the calmest of waters, Homer never lets the sea stand still. Instead, he captures the playfulness and good humor of the waves as they gently lap at the ankles of beach-goers. In fact, these good-natured beachscapes, such as his 1872 painting \u201cHigh Tide,\u201d<\/a> would go on to inspire director Greta Gerwig in designing the beach setting of \u201cLittle Women.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Despite the lighthearted nature of \u201cHigh Tide,\u201d which is conveyed through the breezy color palette and the carefree women depicted in the painting, Homer can\u2019t help but let a sense of darkness and mystery seep into his work. The dog on the left side of the frame steps back in fear of the dripping water, and two of the women\u2019s faces remain obscured. Despite the seemingly tame subject matter, early critics of the piece found the women\u2019s \u201cstate of undress\u201d radical and offensive, showing that, even early in his career, a political undercurrent began to work its way into each of his pieces, begging the viewers to engage with the work beyond the surface.\u00a0<\/p>\n