Winslow HomerAmerican, 1836–1910Croquet Scene
Can I see it?
Yes, on view now
Where is “Croquet Scene” now? Art Institute of Chicago, Gallery 273, Chicago. Yes, on view now. Checked September 29, 2026.
Chicago, United States
Closed· opens at 11:00 AM
On public display.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the painting
One of America’s foremost painters, Winslow Homer began his career as an illustrator during the Civil War. In the late 1860s, he turned his acute observational and technical skills toward oil painting, depicting figures bathed in sunlight out-of-doors. These early paintings, often executed in series, feature scenes of upper-class leisure pursuits—in this case, women and men competing with one another in the popular sport of croquet, which had recently been introduced to the United States from the British Isles. In Croquet Scene, one of five paintings Homer completed on the subject, progress on “the grand round” seems fairly advanced. The crouching male figure positions the ball belonging to the woman dressed in red. She is about to croquet (or “send up the country”) another ball, probably belonging to the woman in the left foreground, who shields her eyes against the bright afternoon sun. Notable for its bold patterning, strong contours, and brilliant light effects, the painting epitomizes the spirit of a breezy summer afternoon.
Art Institute of ChicagoCC BY 4.0
Details
- Accession number
- 1942.35
What it shows
In the catalog
Display history
On view · Gallery 273
Art Institute of Chicago · Sep 28, 2026 — now · Verified
Was on view · Gallery 171
Art Institute of Chicago · Aug 19, 2026 — Sep 28, 2026 · Verified
Sources
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Image: Art Institute of Chicago — CC0
