Homer's Lightened Up Memory

One thing I find particularly interesting about 19th Century American Art is its ability to balance detail and subtlety. Many of the paintings that came about during that time are precise and accurate at first glance. However upon further inspection it can be seen that the paintings themselves were in reality quite simple.
For example, we may consider Winslow Homer's Prisoners from the Front. Homer creates a scene in which it appears that a large group of men are gathered. It is a very realistic portrayal of an event that could very well take place in a 19th century war grounds. Thus, the scene is accepted by more traditionalists in art. It is in fact though quite a simple piece of art. Homer uses very few different colors and instead puts an emphasis in his work on the amount of layers of paint he uses and the shapes he executes. The result is an almost posterized scene. forms and color take precedent over hard lines and contrast. It in turn makes the work retain an element of serenity.

By creating a picture with this modern color scheme, Homer takes us to the scene almost as if in a dream or a long passed memory. As a result, this more relaxed message is much welcome after the stark realism which preceded it.