Horseshoe Falls from below the High Bank

In 1831 Gustav Grunewald emigrated from the Moravian religious community of Gnadau, Germany, to join the sect’s settlement in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. One year later, Grunewald traveled to upstate New York for a sketching trip at Niagara Falls, which became one of his favorite subjects. In keeping with his beliefs, Grunewald viewed this natural wonder as tangible evidence of God.

Grunewald’s paintings present this natural phenomenon with realistic precision, and the monumental scale of his canvases emphasizes the sublime and awe-inspiring quality of the scenes. Tiny men at the base of the Horseshoe Falls, and an even smaller trio in the distance on Table Rock, reinforce the insignificance of humans in the presence of these powerful cascades. Littered throughout the foreground of the scenes are logs and ruined tree stumps in the shapes of crosses—reminders of God’s presence as creator and destroyer.

Compare this painting to "The Niagara River at the Cataract" also in the de Young’s collection.