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Catalog Data

Artist:
Alvan Fisher, born Needham, MA 1792-died Dedham, MA 1863  Search this
Medium:
oil on canvas
Dimensions:
34 3/8 x 48 1/8 in. (87.2 x 122.3 cm.)
Type:
Painting
Date:
1820
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.
Topic:
Figure group  Search this
Indian  Search this
Landscape\weather\cloud  Search this
Landscape\waterfall\Niagara Falls  Search this
Landscape\Canada\Niagara Falls  Search this
Credit Line:
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase
Object number:
1967.85
Restrictions & Rights:
CC0
See more items in:
Smithsonian American Art Museum Collection
Department:
Painting and Sculpture
On View:
Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2nd Floor, South Wing
Data Source:
Smithsonian American Art Museum
GUID:
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/vk7f91e368c-91c4-44b5-8e16-6ebba20bb92d
EDAN-URL:
edanmdm:saam_1967.85