The Brierwood Pipe

Winslow Homer’s 1864 painting, "The Brierwood Pipe" captures a poignant moment with two soldiers from the 5th New York Volunteer Infantry. The title likely draws inspiration from a contemporary poem about the 5th New York Zouaves, a distinguished unit in the Army of the Potomac, famously known as Duryee's and Hawkins's Zouaves. This artwork is also referred to by alternate titles, including "Making Brier-root Pipes" and "Making Brierwood Pipes." Today, this historic painting is housed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, having previously been part of the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection.