Name/Title
THE CATTERSKILL FALLS (FROM ABOVE THE RAVINE)Entry/Object ID
L.2007.31Description
Kaaterskill Falls is one of the most distinctive natural features of the Hudson River Valley. William Bartlett included this image of the falls in American Scenery, helping to introduce the natural wonder to a larger audience. Beloved by artists of the Hudson River School and by tourists, the falls represent the untamed beauty of the Catskill Mountains, although the pathway to the falls and structures at the top of the cliff indicate it was already a popular destination by the 1830s. Although praised for its untouched beauty, the site was not without improvements for accessibility and convenience, with more to come in later decades.
Steel cut engraving of mountainous landscape with falls on the viewer's left: the image is framed by a pine tree on either side of the foreground; a third, shorter pine tree grows in the center of the foreground; two white birds fly to the right of this tree; water cascades down the rocky side of a tree-covered mountain; two structures sit at the top of the falls; a stairway curves up the side of the mountain; miniscule figures climb the stairs; on the right, the view opens up to more wooded mountains behind; sun appears low in the sky and masked with dark clouds; below the scene, on far left corner, printed: "W.H.Bartlett."; on far right corner, printed: "J.T. Willmore."; in center, the title, printed: "THE CATTERSKILL FALLS [Kaaterskill Falls]. I from above the Ravine)."; on bottom center, printed: "London, Published for the Proprietors, by Geo: Virtue, 26, Ivy Lane, 1838."Artwork Details
Medium
Paper (wove), Ink, Paper (wove), inkMade/Created
Artist Information
Artist
William Henry BartlettAttribution
ArtistArtist
James Tilbitts WillmoreAttribution
EngraverManufacturer
George VirtueDate made
1838Dimensions
Dimension Description
OverallHeight
7-7/8 inWidth
10-3/4 inDimension Notes
Display Dimensions: 7 7/8 x 10 3/4 in. (20 x 27.3 cm)Condition
Notes
Remarks: Yellowing throughout, especially surrounding image; bottom left corner dog-eared; loss of gold leaf along edge of bottom left corner; two pieces of yellowing adhesive tape along left and right edges; tear top center, 4 inches from left edge; loss top center, 5 ¾ inches from left edge, near loss top center, 3 ¾ inches from right edge; yellowing from removed adhesive top right and bottom left corners; two scratches, center right; series of small dots of yellowing surrounding image, especially above; accretion of miniscule specks of gold leaf throughout surface; recto has two areas of discoloration below each piece of adhesive tape; pencil marks throughout recto.Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
William DieboldNotes
Former ownerRelated Entries
Notes
L.2007.73 - Engraving - Similar item
L.2007.75 - Engraving - Similar itemGeneral Notes
Note Type
Curatorial RemarksNote
Diebold Box #45Note Type
General NoteNote
The Catterskill Falls (From above the Ravine) is plate number 69 in American Scenery: Or, Land, Lake and River Illustrations of Transatlantic Nature. Publisher George Virtue commissioned William H. Bartlett to illustrate American Scenery, for which N.P. Willis wrote the text. Bartlett completed these watercolor drawings during two visits to America between 1836 and 1838. The drawings were engraved starting in 1837 by numerous English engravers and published in installments of four engravings. Subscribers could have the prints bound in two volumes in 1840 when the installments were complete.Note Type
StorageNoteNote
Home Location: Historic Hudson Valley, Administrative Office, Archive Room, Shelf O3, B4Note Type
DepartmentNote
Library