Provenance
Judge Nathaniel and Laura Davidson Sears; Elgin Academy, Elgin, IL, by 1967; sold to the Art Institute of Chicago.
Accession Number
27163
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
30.5 × 50.8 cm (12 × 20 in.)
Classification
Painting
Credit Line
A. A. McKay Fund
Background & Context
Background Story
An oil painting by Cropsey depicting the iconic waterfall in its frozen state, combining topographic detail with the chromatic richness of ice and spray to contribute to the cultural construction of Niagara as a symbol of American natural grandeur.
Cultural Impact
Cropseys Niagara Falls in Winter joined a tradition of Niagara paintings that extended from Church to Bierstadt, contributing to the iconography of American natural grandeur and demonstrating that the sublimity of Niagara was not confined to dramatic seasons.
Why It Matters
Niagara Falls in winter by Cropsey, ice formations and frozen spray in Hudson River School topographic detail.
