We hover over the bottle-green surface of a river as it rushes toward a horseshoe-shaped waterfall that curves away from us in this horizontal landscape painting. The water is white and frothy right in front of us, where the shelf of the riverbed changes levels near the edge of the falls. Across from us, the water is also white where it falls over the edge. A thin, broken rainbow glints in the mist near the upper left corner of the painting and continues its arc farther down, between the falls. The horizon line is just over halfway up the composition. Plum-purple clouds sweep into the composition at the upper corners against a lavender-colored sky. Tiny trees and a few buildings line the shoreline to the left and right in the deep distance.
Frederic Edwin Church, Niagara, 1857, oil on canvas, Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, Gallery Fund), 2014.79.10

Current Exhibition

Niagara Falls

Mist and Majesty

Details

  • Dates

    -

  • Locations

    West Building

    West Building Main Floor, Gallery M72

  • Ticketing Information

    Admission is always free and passes are not required

Explore the symbolism of Niagara Falls from the early 19th century to today.

Niagara Falls is one of the greatest natural wonders of the world. Come explore over 20 works of art that show how the site’s histories and meanings have evolved over the last two centuries.
 

Selected works

We hover over the bottle-green surface of a river as it rushes toward a horseshoe-shaped waterfall that curves away from us in this horizontal landscape painting. The water is white and frothy right in front of us, where the shelf of the riverbed changes levels near the edge of the falls. Across from us, the water is also white where it falls over the edge. A thin, broken rainbow glints in the mist near the upper left corner of the painting and continues its arc farther down, between the falls. The horizon line is just over halfway up the composition. Plum-purple clouds sweep into the composition at the upper corners against a lavender-colored sky. Tiny trees and a few buildings line the shoreline to the left and right in the deep distance.
Frederic Edwin Church, Niagara, 1857, oil on canvas, Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, Gallery Fund), 2014.79.10
The image shows a group of people standing on a paved surface with a stone and wrought iron railing nearby. In the background, there is a misty waterfall merging into a pink sky, with green trees in the distance. Some individuals appear blurry due to motion. The color scheme includes earthy tones, pastel shades in the sky, and vibrant greens and whites from the natural elements.

Alec Soth, Niagara Falls, Ontario, 2019, inkjet print, Diana and Mallory Walker Fund, 2022.115.2. © Alec Soth and Weinstein Hammons Gallery

The image features a waterfall, potentially Horseshoe Falls at Niagara Falls. The viewpoint is elevated, overlooking the cascading water. The horizon line is high with land and water meeting in the distance. A bridge spans over the edge of the falls to the left. The brushstrokes are smooth, capturing the water's movement. The color palette consists of aquamarine, turquoise, white, and subtle earthy tones for the rocks and bridge. Red and beige star shapes add decoration. The sky is clear blue.
Kay WalkingStick, The Niagara Cascades, 2024, oil on panel, Patrons' Permanent Fund and Gift of Funds from Reid Walker, 2025.32.1
The image shows a waterfall scene, likely Niagara Falls, from an elevated viewpoint on Goat Island. People are gathered on grass near trees, with picnic items on a cloth nearby. The sky meets distant land on the horizon, partially obscured by clouds. The falls are on the right, with water falling into mist, with a faint rainbow. The brushwork is detailed, capturing textures in foliage and water realistically. The color palette includes greens, browns, blues, and grays, enhancing the waterfall's presence.
Charles Hunt, Rudolf Ackermann, Falls of Niagara, 1833, aquatint with hand coloring on wove paper, Rosenwald Collection, 1964.8.1100

Sam Gilliam, Niagara on the Potomac, 1995, color screenprint on Rising wove paper, Corcoran Collection (Gift of the artist), 2015.19.3017. © Sam Gilliam

The image shows a sepia-toned view of a large waterfall cascading over a rocky cliff. The horizon is visible at the top with buildings, including one with a flag, silhouetted against the sky. The flowing water appears smooth and misty due to a long exposure, descending from the top of the falls to the river below. Rocks disrupt the water's flow, creating white splashes. The image has a soft, blurred quality due to motion in the water. The color palette is muted and vintage, emphasizing textures and contrasts rather than distinct colors. In the distance, dense trees flank the structures.
George Barker, Niagara, 1860s-1870s, albumen silver print, Patrons' Permanent Fund, 1995.36.11
The image shows a man standing upright with a waterfall in the background. He has a serious expression with sunglasses covering part of his eyes. He has short, neatly combed dark hair and is wearing a buttoned-up suit jacket with a collar. His shirt sleeves are visible, and he has a badge with a photograph pinned to the left side of his jacket. He is holding a cable that extends downward out of the frame. The background features tall grass, foliage, a large waterfall, and a forested area in the distance.

Tseng Kwong Chi, Niagara Falls, New York, 1984, printed 2022, gelatin silver print, Gift of Funds from the Kend Family Fund and Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund, 2023.12.2. © Muna Tseng Dance Projects Inc. Courtesy Yancey Richardson, New York

The image is a black-and-white photograph with a circular frame showing a group of people standing on a ledge by a large waterfall. The perspective is from behind the individuals, as they face the waterfall. Mist rises from the water, obscuring the horizon. The people are dressed in period attire and are silhouetted against the water. Vegetation is on the right, and trees line the distant riverbank.
Platt D. Babbitt, Niagara Falls, c. 1855, daguerreotype, Robinson Family Fund in memory of C. David Robinson and Clinton and Jean Wright Fund, 2016.30.1

Stories

We hover over the bottle-green surface of a river as it rushes toward a horseshoe-shaped waterfall that curves away from us in this horizontal landscape painting. The water is white and frothy right in front of us, where the shelf of the riverbed changes levels near the edge of the falls. Across from us, the water is also white where it falls over the edge. A thin, broken rainbow glints in the mist near the upper left corner of the painting and continues its arc farther down, between the falls. The horizon line is just over halfway up the composition. Plum-purple clouds sweep into the composition at the upper corners against a lavender-colored sky. Tiny trees and a few buildings line the shoreline to the left and right in the deep distance.

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The image consists of multiple rectangular panels with wavy lines and blocky shapes, creating a fragmented landscape. The colors used are rich earth tones such as reds, blacks, blues, greens, and beige, resembling rock formations and valleys.

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Organization
Organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington

Curated by Sarah Cash, associate curator, department of American and British paintings; and Diane Waggoner, curator of photographs, department of photographs, both of the National Gallery of Art.

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The image features a series of horizontal lines and a rectangle filled with star shapes at the top left corner. The flag consists of green and black stripes with a red rectangle in the upper left containing a pattern of blue stars. Below, a more subdued version mirrors the form with tones of gray and white. The composition is set against a textured gray background. On the right is a logo that reads America's 250th in shades of white, red, and blue against a black circle background.

Exhibition:  American Icon

This painting shows a canyon landscape viewed from a high vantage point, with ridges and formations extending into the distance. The horizon is positioned high in the painting, with the light-blue sky featuring soft white clouds. The canyon displays vibrant shades of red, pink, and green, contrasting with shadowed areas in darker shades of blue and gray. In the bottom right corner of the painting, there are some geometric white and blue patterns overlayed on top of the canyon.

Exhibition:  Homelands