A General View of the Falls of Niagara

Alvan Fisher, A General View of the Falls of Niagara, 1820, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1967.85

Gallery Label

This scene by Alvan Fisher conveys the magnificent beauty of Niagara Falls, which quickly became an icon for the new nation.Tiny figures stand at the rim of the cataract, their gestures expressing awe and delight in the grandeur of the scene before them.Lacking a lengthy, cultured past, Americans looked to the grandeur of the landscape to reflect the scale of the new country’s ambitions.Just as the Seven Wonders of the World had given Europeans a sense of pride in their past, Niagara Falls and other natural wonders became symbols of America’s identity.

Title

A General View of the Falls of Niagara

Artist

Alvan Fisher

Date

1820

Location

Dimensions