The Cascades at Terni Gm-00045901

Louis-François Cassas (French, 1756–1827) "[Louis-François] Cassas's drawings are unusually beautiful. I have stolen a lot of ideas from him," wrote the Romantic writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

The well-known waterfalls at Terni, forty miles north of Rome, were a popular subject for artists, who often drew them as souvenirs for tourists. Cassas took the opportunity to depict nature's might, a favorite subject of Neoclassical landscapists aiming to convey the concept of the Sublime. To ensure that viewers felt awestruck by the power of the rushing waters, Cassas inserted tiny people in antique costume gesturing in amazement at the spectacle. He also enhanced the cataract's grandeur by choosing a low viewpoint.

References to antiquity were typical in the work of Neoclassical artists, but the ancient figures here also may refer to the falls' origin, when Roman irrigation diverted the Velino River into the Nera in 271 B.C.

The decorative surround appears on the same sheet of paper as the drawing itself, implying that before Cassas put pen to paper, he intended to set his composition within an ornamental frame.

High Quality Wood Framed Print using museum quality paper and archival inks with a mat for a contemporary look. Comes with Acrylite glazing and hanging hardware. These are Made in USA or Europe depending upon your location.

Stretched Canvas is stretched over 1.25" thick pine bars and printed on heavy cotton poly matte finish canvas. Comes with mounting brackets. These are Made in USA or Europe depending upon your location.

Giclee Prints are printed on 250 gsm Matte Paper with the finest archival inks. Each print carries a white border around the perimeter. The listed size refers to the overall paper dimensions. The image is printed proportionally within this paper size and includes a small white border. These are Made in USA or Europe depending upon your location.

All of our images are digitized from the original or negative. Questions? Please email service@archivea.com.

Artwork in this collection is from The J. Paul Getty Museum. Reproduction rights are reserved by the copyright owner and used under license by Archivea.