Artwork
The Wounded Drummer Boy
The Wounded Drummer Boy is an oil painting by the Realist artist William Morris Hunt. It dates from 1862 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.
About this work
Overview
The Wounded Drummer Boy is an 1862 oil painting by American artist William Morris Hunt, characterized by its realistic depiction of a poignant scene.
Subject & Meaning
The painting portrays a young drummer boy in a state of vulnerability, lying on the ground with eyes closed, suggesting injury or unconsciousness, evoking a somber and vulnerable atmosphere.
Technique & Style
Hunt employed muted colors and visible, textured brushstrokes, consistent with the realist tradition he learned from Jean-François Millet at Barbizon, to convey the scene's emotional gravity.
History & Provenance
Created in 1862, the work is now part of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston's collection. Hunt, later a prominent Boston artist, was elected to the National Academy of Design in 1871.
Artist & collection
Artist
William Morris Hunt (March 31, 1824 – September 8, 1879) was an American painter.
