Tuesday 9 September 2014

Paintings by Winslow Homer - also on stamps

A couple of weeks ago I picked up a  book called Swimming Studies by Leanne Shapton - I'm very keen on swimming - and go to my local pool several times a week. It tells the story of Leanne's attempt to be selected for the Canadian Olympic teams of 1988 and 1992,  and although not successful, she retains a lifelong love and interest in swimming. As well as a fascinating and well told account of her experiences she is a talented artist and includes several series of illustrations connected with everything to do with the sport, from portraits of fellow swimmers to photographs of her costumes, and small paintings of swimming pools all over the world. And she also includes some art references, which I personally can never resist looking up!   I've discovered several paintings new to me, by the American artist Winslow Homer, whose former home Leanne was lucky enough to stay in on a visit to Maine.
Gulf Stream by Winslow Homer (1899) 
Sharks, The Derelict by Winslow Homer 
I'm not likely to ever own an original Winslow Homer, but as a stamp collector, I have a smaller example in my own collection - not quite as sinister as the first two shown above, this one is called Breezing Up( A Fair Wind) 1873-1876 - the stamp was issued by US Postal service in 1962!

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