Distant View of Niagara Falls

1830

By the 19th century, Niagara Falls was already an iconic American landscape, nearly verging on mythical. Thomas Cole visited the landmark in May 1829 and composed this romanticized, autumnal scene the following year. In amplifying the natural grandeur of the American landscape, the artist wilfully ommitted the factories, scenic overlooks, and hotels that populated the area in the early 19th century.

Public domain · CC0
Free to download and reuse. Image courtesy of Art Institute of Chicago.

Artist

Thomas Cole (American, born England, 1801–1848)

Date

1830

Medium

Oil on wood panel

Dimensions

47.9 × 60.6 cm (18 7/8 × 23 7/8 in.)

Origin

Niagara Falls

Collection

Art Institute of Chicago

Credit

Friends of American Art Collection