Accession Number1983/1.285
TitleThe American Falls
Artist(s)George BarkerArtist NationalityAmerican (North American)Object Creation Datecirca 1874Medium & Supportalbumen print on paperDimensions 22 9/16 in x 18 1/8 in (57.3 cm x 46 cm);28 in x 22 in (71.12 cm x 55.88 cm);22 9/16 in x 18 in (57.3 cm x 45.8 cm);20 1/4 in x 16 1/16 in (51.4 cm x 40.8 cm)
Credit LineGift of the Marvin Felheim CollectionSubject matterPhotographed from an overlook, this photograph depicts a sideview of American Falls at Niagara looking North. In the right corner's foreground, a torrent of water surges from the right of the photograph and over the ledge. After this section of waterfall, a thin copse of trees and the hint of a structure cling to a rocky overhang, beyond which an enormous stretch of waterfall spills over the cliff. Billowing upwards, the mist of the atomized water from the thunderous cascades rises from the river below. Below, the Niagara River flows away into the distance, starkly tranquil compared to the deluge of the Falls. Exposed for the brightness of the cloudy sky and the waters’ rapids, the photograph’s other components are rendered as dark, almost silhouetted shapes. The slightly long exposure of the camera causes the water’s current in the foreground to blur as it rushes over the edge of the Falls. The amber warmth of the albumen print causes the image to glow, and lends the subject of the photograph a further sense of timeless majesty.
Physical DescriptionThis photograph depicts a view of a stretch of cascading waterfalls. Beyond the falls are tree-lined riverbanks and a cloudy sky.
Primary Object ClassificationPhotographCollection AreaPhotographyRightsIf you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit
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Keywords
Americas
buildings
cascades (water features)
cliffs
clouds
rapids
riverbanks
rivers
trees
waterfalls
waterfalls (natural bodies of water)