Niagara Falls

Mist and Majesty

 

May 2-September 20, 2026

National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. 

 

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.

 

 

Frederic Edwin Church, Niagara, 1857, oil on canvas, Corcoran Collection (Museum Purchase, Gallery Fund, 1876), 2014.79.10

 

The 19th-Century Blockbuster: Frederic Edwin Church’s “Niagara”

 

It was the picture event of the year. The press had been teasing the release for months. Thousands lined up to buy their tickets to see the newest creation of an American visionary.

 

In 1857 Frederic Edwin Church revealed his seven-foot-wide painting Niagara. The one-picture exhibition was a sensation, cementing Church as the most important American artist of his day. Long before box office hits or record-breaking art shows, Niagara’s exhibition became the blockbuster of its day, changing the nation’s art and culture in the process.

https://www.nga.gov/stories/articles/19th-century-blockbuster-frederic-edwin-churchs-niagara

 

 

 

Clare Romano, Associated American Artists, Grand Canyon, 1977, color collagraph on wove paper, Gift of Bob Stana and Tom Judy, 2016.148.44

 

 

Iconic American Landscapes, Through Artists’ Eyes

 

Across our nation’s history, artists have shaped our country’s land. Artist’s sketches and photographs gave some Americans their first glimpse of Yellowstone and other distant terrains. Painter Thomas Moran encouraged the establishment of national parks, and photographer Ansel Adams advocated for the conservation of our country’s natural beauty. Still today, artists open our eyes to new views of familiar destinations, from Niagara Falls to the Grand Canyon and beyond.  

Take a road trip to some of our nation’s most iconic landscapes through the eyes of nine artists.

https://www.nga.gov/stories/articles/iconic-american-landscapes-through-artists-eyes

 

 

Sam Gilliam, Niagara on the Potomac, 1995, color screenprint on Rising wove paper, Corcoran Collection

 

https://www.nga.gov