Winslow Homer’s Breezing Up (A Fair Wind) (1873–1876), oil on canvas, 61.5 × 97 cm, held at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., is among the most iconic depictions of 19th-century American life. Painted over three years, the work was inspired by sketches Homer made in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where he worked extensively in watercolor. Infrared reflectography has revealed numerous compositional changes during its creation, including the removal of a fourth boy, a second schooner, and adjustments to the figure arrangements.
