The Life Line

Winslow Homer’s quip can be interpreted in more than one way.  His artwork consumed his life; he loved painting, especially outdoors.  He lived by painting.  Now, however, he lives through his paintings.  He is remembered for his watercolors, ones like The Life Line.  His quote and painting also captures the spirit of the moment when Tateh reflects on Mother’s appearance and demeanor when they search for the children on the stormy beach.  Tateh thought, “She walked with her arms around the children.  He recognized her wet form the ample woman in the Winslow Homer painting who is being rescued from the sea by towline.  Who would not risk his life for such a woman?” (265-266).  Tateh thinks highly of mother at this point in the story, perhaps foreshadowing their eventual marriage.  He shows his love for Mother by asking, “Who would not risk his life for such a woman?”  The question is duplicitous in nature, referring to both the woman in Homer’s painting and Moth

er.  The Life Line is currently housed at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which wrote, “Cropped down to its essentials, Homer’s composition thrusts us into the midst of the action with massive waves rolling past, drenching the semiconscious woman and her anonymous savior.”  The focus of the painting is the action, not the surroundings (the boats, other crew members, etc.).  Doctorow’s cropped description of Tateh’s actions parallel’s Homer’s cropped artwork.  Doctorow wrote, “Suddenly Tateh ran ahead of them all and did a somersault.  He did a cartwheel.  He stood on his hands in the sand and walked upside down.  The children laughed” (266).  The actions compose the description of the scene.  The only description of the physical landscape is the word “sand,” similar to how the only description of the physical landscape in The Life Line are the waves painted in the background.  Doctorow’s writing style mirrors Homer’s painting style, allowing both to live through the other’s work. 

Sources:

Homer, Winslow. The Life Line. 1884. Philadelphia Museum of Art. artrenewal.org. Web. 9 May 2011.

"The Life Line." Philadelphia Museum of Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2011.

"Winslow Homer Quotes." Artfortune.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2011.