Walter Brackett Fisherman's Reward

Walter M. Brackett is an American Artist that was born in the 1820’s. Throughout his life, he produced multiple works of art, most of which depicted the rewards of fishing. In Fisherman’s Reward, he continues this theme by creating a scene near a river. He uses oil on canvas to create this naturalist still. In this still, he portrays a basket that is on a slight hill, with fish that have fallen out of the basket and slid down the top of the basket towards the water. This implies that the fisherman has caught these fish earlier on that day. The scenery is the bank of a river with some small shrubbery, and trees nearby, with the ground covered in dark green grass. Although it seem like just a picture of fish near a river, Brackett creates something much more than that. Through the use of the elements and principles to the content of the art, Walter M. Brackett’s Fisherman’s Reward is a piece that will bring back memories of fishing.
Brackett uses great detail to create this painting.
He is able to achieve unity through the use of both the composition and the physical layout of the painting. However, the physical layout is the more important of the two. The composition is composed of many different formal elements. The source of light is coming from a setting sun from the other side of the river. This is evident by the dimly lit shrubbery and the shadows casted by the fishing pole. This shadow is created by increasing the value of the oils pigment. The overall colors of the painting are very dark and dull with the exception of the fish who have a natural white-grey stomach. The dark and dull coloring makes the viewer feel as if the fisherman is worn out from a long day in the hot sun. Specifically, the grass and shrubs are a dark green, and the basket is composed of two different values of a brown pigment which continues to support the feeling of
exhaustion.
The physical layout of the objects in the art work also contribute to the viewer’s perception. The basket is created by alternating values of a brown pigment. The top, bottom and side panels of the basket are alternating between these brown pigments. This creates a geometric pattern. The orientation of the strips in the pattern causes the viewers eyes to be drawn towards the pile of fish. With the way Brackett has positioned the fishing pole, it cause the viewer’s eye to come into the center of the painting, which is the pile of fish. In the center of the painting the basket with the fish take up most of the planar space of the art. The fish are the focal point of the painting due to its central location and tone. Brackett uses a lighter tone to draw an emphasis to them. This is also obtained by the positioning of the basket and fishing pole that encourage the viewer to focus on the fish. Most of the detail is focused around the pile of fish. This creates an atmospheric perspective. As opposed to the very intricately draw blades of grass and leaves near and around the fish, the lack of detain in the grass behind in the background demonstrates this perspective.
This painting by Brackett is one of my favorite pieces of all the art in the Georgia Museum of Art for many reasons. I tend to enjoy looking at naturalist art, or art that depicts a scene in nature, such as Fisherman’s Reward. My favorite type of art is when the artist makes the viewer feel as if he or she is there. When the artist is able to incorporate such a high level of detail, such as in Fisherman’s Reward, I really enjoy looking at the work. This is because the work looks as if it is a picture rather of painting due to the intricate details. Besides the overall appearances of the art work, I appreciate art that I can connect with personally. Fisherman’s Reward prompts me to recall memories that I have associated with fishing. It reminds me of the countless times I have gone fishing with my dad or my friends. For instance, in Brackett’s piece, the fish’s eyes follow the viewer from any angle. This is something I remember vividly from personal experiences. I recall the fish always seemed to be looking at me after I had caught them, and this caused me to feel guilty that I had killed them. Because of this, when I look at Fisherman’s Reward, the work reminds me of when I have spent the day fishing. Because this painting is able to bring forth memories of mine, I think it is a very beautiful and a well-crafted piece of art. Brackett also spared no details in this work of art. The painting makes the viewer feel as if he or she is behind the camera taking a picture of the fish he or she has spent all day catching.
Fisherman’s Reward is a painting that follows a common theme is Walter Brackett’s work. He often creates paintings that depict fishing or fish, and is “popular with many sportsmen”. Brackett was born in Unity, Maine in 1823. He eventually move to Boston, Massachusetts where he established his studio in 1843. Once established he began produce paintings, specifically portraits, to support his family. In 1873, Brackett then turned to making paintings of fish (“Walter Brackett Biography.”).
While Walter Brackett was growing up, the United States was going through an internal war. This war was the American Civil War. Its cause was due to a disagreement in slavery between norther and southern states. The war lasted for four years, 1861 to 1865. During this time, some artists engaged in the content of the war, and created art that depicted the war in some manner (Hughes). For example, Winslow Homer was an artist during the war that created art that gives the perspective of first hand war and its chaos. Other artists joined Homer in creating paintings that represented the war through battles or other war events going on at the time. Walter Brackett however, was like many other artists during that time, and continued to create work that seemed to have no resemblance or importance to the civil war (Harvey “The Civil War and American Art.").
Walter Brackett’s Fisherman’s Reward is a piece of art that immediately caught my eye when visiting the Georgia Museum of Art. The way that Brackett is able to combined the elements and composition of the painting is flawless. The beauty of this painting is a result of the intricate detail that Brackett has incorporated in the work. Through the detail and beauty of the painting, I am able to connect with the work and reminds me of countless memories I have created fishing. In my opinion, the best works of art are the ones that the view can relate to, much like how Brackett’s Fisherman’s Reward has done for myself.