Embossed Metal Bookmark : Winslow Homer “Snap the Whip” : Rural School Theme

Description

Up for sale is a gold-plated thin, hollowed-out, embossed metal bookmark featuring Winslow Homer's "Snap the Whip".
"Snap the Whip" is an 1872 oil on canvas painting by Homer. It depicts a group of children playing a game in a field in front of an old red schoolhouse. With more of America's population moving to cities, this portrait depicts the simplicity of rural agrarian life that Americans began to leave behind in the post-Civil war era.
Homer spent several summers in New York's Hudson Valley, and is said to have been inspired to paint this scene by local boys playing at the Hurley schoolhouse.
These small gold-colored historical bookmarks are often referred to as souvenir bookmarks because they are sold in gift shops at national museums and scenic parks. This particular bookmark was purchased at the Butler Institute of American Art in Youngstown, Ohio. "Snap the Whip' by Winslow Homer is the centerpiece of the museum’s 19th century holdings.
This depiction of children playing in front of a one-room school house has become America’s Mona Lisa. The last photo in this listing is a photo of the "Snap the Whip" painting housed at the Butler . . . it is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not part of this auction.
The bookmark measures approximately 2.5 inches by 1 inch. It is in excellent shape, stored after purchase and unused.