The Waterfall
1774
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
1774
watercolor
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
This painting shows a waterfall crashing between rocky cliffs. The water looks frothy and white where it hits the rocks, then turns a soft blue-gray as it spreads out below. Trees cling to the hillsides, painted in quick, dark strokes. The sky is pale and hazy, blending into the distant mountains. The artist used loose, sketchy brushwork to capture the wild energy of the water. The colors stay mostly cool—blues, grays, and greens—except where the water crashes. Next, look up Romanticism to see how artists used nature to express big emotions.
