Artwork
Upper Falls of Solomon's Creek (after an Engraving in The Port Folio Magazine, December 1809)
Upper Falls of Solomon's Creek (after an Engraving in The Port Folio Magazine, December 1809) is a watercolor work on paper by the Romanticist artist Pavel Petrovich Svinin. It dates from 1811 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Created circa 1811, this watercolor and gouache composition portrays a modest cascade set within a wooded landscape.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1811, this watercolor and gouache composition portrays a modest cascade set within a wooded landscape. Rendered on white laid paper, the image shows a creek flowing over rocks, flanked by trees, with the water rendered in bright, swift strokes that suggest motion.
Subject & Meaning
The scene focuses on a small waterfall, emphasizing the interplay of water and foliage. By presenting the natural feature in a tranquil setting, the work reflects early 19th‑century European fascination with picturesque American scenery, even when the artist had not witnessed it firsthand.
Technique & Style
Employing both watercolor and opaque gouache, the artist achieves luminous highlights on the water while maintaining the solidity of the surrounding rocks and trees. The layered glazing typical of watercolor enhances the sense of sparkle and depth, especially in the flowing creek.
History & Provenance
The piece was produced by Pavel Petrovich Svinin, a Russian writer and painter known for elaborate travel narratives. Though he never traveled to the United States, Svinin based the image on an engraving that appeared in the December 1809 issue of The Port Folio magazine, making the work a secondary interpretation of an American landscape.
Context
During the early 1800s, American vistas were popular subjects in European publications, feeding a market for exotic imagery. Svinin’s connection to literary circles, including relatives such as Appolon Maykov and Aleksey Pisemsky, positioned him within a network that circulated such visual material.
Artist & collection
Artist
Pavel Petrovich Svinyin or Svinin (Russian: Па́вел Петро́вич Свиньи́н; 19 June 1787 – 21 April 1839) was a Russian writer, painter, and editor, known as a "Russian Munchausen" for many exaggerated accounts of his travels.
