The Grand Waterfalls at Terni
1794
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1794
gouache
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
You see a roaring waterfall crashing down mossy rocks, framed by dark cliffs and a stormy sky. Kaisermann painted this in the 1790s, when artists loved wild nature. The water looks alive because he layered thin, see-through washes of color—called glazing—over pencil lines. It’s like the water is moving right in front of you. If you like how light dances on water, look up the technique watercolor, glazing.
