Existing comment:
Frederic Edwin Church
Niagara, 1857
Many American artists have been inspired to portrait Niagara Falls, widely considered the nation's greatest natural wonder. Critics and the public marveled at Church's majestic canvas, with its grand scale, fine detail, and illusion of reality; unlike is predecessors, the artist eliminated any suggestion of a foreground, allowing the viewer to experience the scene as if precariously positioned on the brink of the falls. As one writer enthusiastically noted, "this is Niagara, with the roar left out!" Niagara's tremendous success secured Church's reputation as the most famous painter in American and brought him international recognition. |