Falling Springs

1857

Woldemar Rau, after Edward Beyer

Associated Names
Woldemar Rau

Artist, German, 1827 - 1889

Rau & Son

Printer, German, active mid-19th century

Edward Beyer

Artist After, American, born Germany, 1820 - 1865

The image shows a waterfall flowing down a rocky cliff from a slightly elevated angle. The horizon is not distinctly defined. The top of the waterfall cascades from a cliff lined with trees. The brushstrokes are precise and detailed, typical of an illustrative print. Clear lines define the texture of the rocks and the movement of the water. The color palette features earthy tones of browns and greens, contrasting with the white and light gray of the waterfalls. Closest to us are large rocks and a stream of water. Figures are visible to the right. In the background, a row of trees creates a border.

Media Options

This object’s media is free and in the public domain. Read our full Open Access policy for images.

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    color lithograph on wove paper

  • Credit Line

    Corcoran Collection

  • Dimensions

    image: 32.07 × 41.43 cm (12 5/8 × 16 5/16 in.)
    sheet: 45.09 × 63.34 cm (17 3/4 × 24 15/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2015.19.3615.21

Associated Artworks

See all 41 artworks
The central circular vignette is surrounded by four smaller ovals. The central image shows a figure in white drapery holding a flag, standing over another figure on the ground, with the phrase "Sic Semper Tyrannis" beneath it. The horizon line shows land with a faintly visible ship in the distance. The surrounding vignettes are connected by ornate floral designs with muted tones, each labeled with names like "Drenched Springs," "Harper's Ferry," "Mount Vernon," and "Monticello." The overall color palette consists of soft sepia tones and light greens with delicate outlines. The scenes are depicted with fine detail typical of 19th-century illustrative techniques.

Title Page

Rau & Son

1858

This is a photograph of a book cover. The cover displays the title "ALBUM OF VIRGINIA" in gold embossing on a dark reddish-brown surface. Below the title, it reads "ILLUSTRATED BY ED. BEYER, 1858," in vertically stacked lines. At the bottom, it is marked "CORCORAN GALLERY OF ART." The cover features minimal wear with some scrapes and scuffs, with yellow-brown triangles on the right corners and a vertical yellow-brown stripe on the left edge.

Album of Virginia

Edward Beyer, Rau & Son, Wilhelm Loeillot

1857

The image is a collection of four illustrations titled "Album of Virginia," focusing on various views of Weyer's Cave in Augusta County, Virginia, drawn by Ed. Beyer in 1856. The top-left image shows an outdoor scene with a group of people near the cave's entrance, with a small cabin surrounded by rocks and trees. The illustration to the right, labeled "Cataract," presents an interior cave view with stalactites and stalagmites. In the bottom left, the view labeled "Shell Room" features a vast cavern with illuminated formations admired by small human figures. The bottom right, titled "Cataract," showcases another interior with a high ceiling decorated with stalactites and a group of people gesturing towards the rock formations. Each scene is intricately detailed, suggesting a careful observational style that adds to the historical and visual richness of the album.

Views of Weyers Cave

Wilhelm Loeillot

1857


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

William W. Corcoran, Washington, DC; Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 1876; acquired 2015 by the National Gallery of Art

Associated Names

Inscriptions

lower right on stone: W Rau
text on stone:
Album of Virginia. / Taken from Nature by Ed. Beyer / Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1857 by Ed. Beyer in the Clerks Office of the District of Virginia / Rau & Son, Lith. Dresden. / Falling Springs. / Bath County Va.

Wikidata ID

Q77260861

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