The Life Line

E30540

The Life Line is an 1884 maritime rescue painting by American artist Winslow Homer, celebrated for its dramatic depiction of human struggle against the sea and its innovative use of composition and atmosphere.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf painting
work of art
collection Philadelphia Museum of Art collection
colorPalette contrasting reds and whites
muted tones
copyrightStatus public domain
country United States
countryOfOrigin United States
creator Winslow Homer
creatorGender male
creatorNationality American
depicts breaking waves
breeches buoy rescue device
life line rope
lifesaving operation
lifesaving service
rescue worker
shipwreck
spray and foam
stormy sea
unconscious woman
genre history painting
maritime painting
rescue painting
hasAuthor Winslow Homer
hasPart breeches buoy
figures in rescue apparatus
life line rope
hasTitle The Life Line
inception 1884
influencedBy 19th-century maritime disasters
contemporary lifesaving technology
languageOfWork none
location Philadelphia Museum of Art
mainSubject human struggle against nature
sea rescue
medium oil paint
movement American Realism
Marine art
Realism
notableFor atmospheric effects
cropped, close-up viewpoint
dramatic depiction of human struggle against the sea
focus on anonymous figures
innovative composition
partOf Winslow Homer’s mature marine works
surface canvas
technique oil on canvas

Referenced by (2)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
The Life Line
hasTitle
Winslow Homer
notableWork

Please wait…