Waterfall between Chiavenna and Mount Splügen
1784
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1784
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a thin waterfall tumbling down dark rocks, framed by jagged mountains and a pale sky. Towne painted this on his way home from Italy, using clear outlines and flat colors—almost like a map. He left out shadows to make the scene feel still and quiet, as if time stopped. If you like this, look up chiaroscuro to see how other artists used light and dark in a different way.
