I suspect that this is a Yankee guarding a Rebel captive, who is being “punished” by standing on the box and holding a log. Painted in 1863 – Homer was a war correspondent (for Harper’s Magazine, I believe). He painted many such works, stressing the contrast between the relatively “orderly”, well-equipped Yankees and the shabby, rustic (yet generally courageous) Rebs. BTW: that war seems to be continuing. Distressing…
I suspect that this is a Yankee guarding a Rebel captive, who is being “punished” by standing on the box and holding a log. Painted in 1863 – Homer was a war correspondent (for Harper’s Magazine, I believe). He painted many such works, stressing the contrast between the relatively “orderly”, well-equipped Yankees and the shabby, rustic (yet generally courageous) Rebs. BTW: that war seems to be continuing. Distressing…