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The Woodcutter

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The Woodcutter, a watercolor painting by American Regionalist Winslow Homer, depicts a lone woodcutter, axe in hand, standing on a cleared slope and looking out over a view of the American wilderness. Homer's use of subtle blues and neutral colors, his depiction of a quiet and unpopulated landscape, combined with the restful pose and contemplative gaze of the central figure in The Woodcutter, give the painting a sense of calm and a reflective mood. Homer's goal in this painting is to give viewers a closer look into one of the moments of deep reflection that is often inspired by the rural American landscape. He also wanted to depict the effect that human activity has on the wilderness, and convey the possibilities of its future consequences. …show more content…

The woodcutter's body is turned just slightly in the ascending direction of the slope he stands on, and his feet are turned in that direction, too, suggesting that a moment earlier, he was about to leave the spot he was standing on. The scene before him has evidently made him stop to gaze at it a last time before he leaves this mountainside. His upper body twists toward the view over the edge of the slope, and his head is turned, gazing across the landscape. Viewers can tell that the woodcutter is no longer in motion because he rests the blade of his axe on the ground beside him, indicating that he intends to stand here for at least a few minutes. Perhaps the woodcutter can fully sense the tranquility and stillness of the wilderness around him for the first time now that the chopping sound of his axe has ceased, and that is what moves him to take a moment to gaze out over the vista before him. As he does so, he is clearly inspired to reflect deeply. Though his face is not fully visible, viewers can see just enough of it to recognize that his calm, thoughtful expression mirrors the mood of the landscape itself. Homer has clearly striven to convey the power the rural American landscape has to capture a person, bringing his or her thoughts away from the mundane, and inspiring moments of peace and deep …show more content…

The cool blues and grays throughout the painting define its calm mood, and the woodcutter's resting pose and thoughtful gaze mirror the mood of the landscape and contribute to the quiet and reflective tone of the painting. Homer mixes this theme with the message that man's continuing efforts to conquer the wilderness can have a negative impact, robbing people of what has the greatest power to inspire

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