Dressing for the Carnival

Winslow Homer

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The painting depicts a group of Black people outdoors. There are eight individuals, mostly women and children. A woman wearing a long brown dress and head covering points to the left. To her right, a woman holds a baby and wears a blue dress. A man in a yellow coat with red lining, blue pants and a multicolored head covering stands next to another man wearing a blue shirt and head covering with white pants. A girl wearing a white dress with a white head covering stands alone to the left. In the background, there is a wooden fence with trees and a house behind it. The scene appears to be set in a yard or outdoor area. The people are dressed for a celebration, likely a carnival.