Original title: The Lookout – 'All's Well'
Date: 1896 , United States
Art Form: Painting
Dimensions: 101.28 X 76.52 cm (39.87 X 30.13 in)
"Homer himself called this work "unexpected and strange". All is brown and dark blue; the only highlights are the white dabs of the flickering stars and the cresting wave. Roughly drawn and blurred by shadow, the seaman's features are hidden - reinforcing a sense that he represents all sailors, not any specific one. And his bulk is pushed aside by the picture's main actor, the bell that rings out the watch. The slanting surfaces and the sailor's looming presence increase the sense of close quarters; we ourselves are on the rolling ship."