One of the most famous late 19th-century American artists, Winslow Homer is best known for his paintings of marine scenes and his work as a groundbreaking watercolorist. After an early career as a lithographer and illustrator for Harper’s Weekly, where he worked as an artist-correspondent covering the front lines of the Civil War, Homer began working in oil paint after the war. His work was quickly recognized for his clarity, realism, and un-sentimental approach to depicting American life.

This painting dates from the middle years of Homer’s career, when he continued to develop his unique oil painting style and began to experiment with watercolor. Many of his paintings from this period depict women taking part in various genteel activities, from strolling on the beach to playing croquet. As in this painting, the individual subjects remain unknown and Homer’s interest was in exploring the formal elements of light and color rather than constructing a narrative.
 
Woman in Autumn Woods is thought to have been painted on one of Homer’s many trips to the countryside outside New York City, possibly at Houghton Farm, the home of a family friend where Winslow would often spend time with his brother Charles and his sister-in-law. The deep rust hues of the autumn leaves clearly offered the artist an opportunity to experiment with color, and his more spontaneous and expressive paint handling shows his interest in capturing fleeting impressions of nature. Although Homer would have encountered Impressionism during his trip to Paris from 1866-67, his work always followed his own approach to color and light, featuring more solidly realized figures.