Prints from Michel-Guillaume Saint Jean de Crèvecoeur's Voyage dans le Haute Pennsylvanie et dans l'Etat de New York. Paris: De Crapulet, 1801. Engravings by P.F. Tardieu. Dow: 883; Seibel1: 11.
The two views show the cataracts from a vantage point at the bottom of the gorge. The use of the turbulent water, spray, and small foreground figures emphasizes the grandeur of the Falls. The map is very detailed, showing the locations of such features as the "Indian Ladder" and "Simcoe's Ladder."
Prints by Isaac Weld. In Voyage Au Canada Dans Les Annees 1795, 1796 et 1797. Paris: Gerard, 1803. 3 octavo volumes. Each print 3 1/8 x 5 1/4. Engravings by Mariage. Dow: 881.
Reduced, later versions of Weld's three images of Niagara [22-24].
Prints by John Vanderlyn. London: John Vanderlyn, August 1804. Seibel1: 86.
Vanderlyn (1779-1852) was the first professionally trained American artist to paint Niagara Falls. In 1803 he made two paintings of Niagara which were both made into engravings in 1804. Though very fine prints, they did not sell well and are subsequently quite rare.
37. Constantine F. Volney. View: "Section of the Fall in the middle of the River," and map: "The Falls of Niagara, with the adjacent Country." UR: "Pl.III to face page 99." From C.F. Volney's View of the climate and soil of the United States. London: J. Johnson, April 1, 1804. View: 2 3/4 x 14; map: 1 3/4 x 14. Engraving by J. Bye. Dow: 882/885; Seibel1: 13.
A sectional view of the Falls and Niagara Gorge, together with a map of the Niagara River, from Count Constantine Volney's work on the geology of the United States. Volney visited Niagara in 1796 and included an entire chapter on the site in his book. At least three states of this print exist, the other two of which are as follows:
- First edition, Paris 1803: "Coupe de la Chute prise sur le milieu de la Riviere" (top) and "Local de Niagara" (bottom). UR: "Pl. III, en regard a la page 112." No engraver is attributed for this version.
- American edition, 1804: "Section of Niagara at the Middle of the Stream" (top) and "Course of the St. Lawrence at Niagara" (bottom). UR: "Pl. III." The plate was engraved by C. Tiebout.
All three prints show essentially the same information, though in different languages and with different sites identified by name. In the French edition the town of Queenston is entitled "Kouinston" and in the American edition "Kingston." The town is labeled properly in the British edition. According to Dow there are also German and Italian editions.
37a. William M. Craig. "Falls of Niagara, on the River St. Lawrence in Canada." Bungay: C. Brightly & T. Kinnersley, November. 1804. 5 x 7. Engraving by T. Wallis. Dow: 885; Eland: 149; Kotick: 14; Seibel1: 24.
A reversed image of Niagara, with the Horseshoe Falls on the left. Dow suggests that this print "looks like an improvement on and a transposition of Ellicott" (p.885), but this derivation is dubious. A group of Native Americans are shown in the foreground and the overall feel of the image is one of a still uncivilized wilderness.
38. "Le Saut du Niagara." UL: "T.2"; UR: "P.241." After 1804. 2 3/4 x 4 1/2. Engraving. On laid paper.
Probably derived from Vanderlyn's [35] "A Distant View of the Falls of Niagara," though it is not a direct copy. The image is similar to [53] "The Falls of Niagara" and may be based on that print or on a common source.
39. After W.M. Craig. "Falls of Niagara, North America." After 1804. Engraving. 3 5/8 x 6 1/2. Seibel1: 97.
A direct copy of Craig's [37] "Falls of Niagara." Seibel gives a date of 1820s.
Prints by George Heriot. From Travels through the Canadas. London: Richard Phillips, 1807. Each ca. 5 1/4 x 7 1/4. Aquatints by Frederick C. Lewis. Adamson2: 198; Dow: 883; Seibel1: 50.
- 40. "View of the Falls of Niagara, from beneath the bank on the Fort Slausser side." Eland: 124; McKinsey: 38.
- 41. "View of the Falls of Niagara, from the bank near Birche's Mills." DeVolpi: 8
George Heriot (1766-1844) was an author, artist and Deputy Postmaster-General of British North America. He attended the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and trained under Paul Sandby. Heriot made his sketches on site between 1801 and 1804.
Prints by John James Barralet after sketches by Alexander Wilson. In The Port Folio. Vol. III; No. 3. Philadelphia: Bradford & Inskeep, and New York: Inskeep & Bradford, March 1810. Adamson2: 214; Dow: 886; McKinsey: 29; Seibel1: 4/93.
- 42. "General view of the Falls of Niagara." 4 4/8 x 7 3/8. Engraving by George Cooke. McKinsey: 29; Stauffer: 435.
- 43. "View of the Great Pitch taken from below." 7 1/8 x 4 3/8. Engraving by George Cooke. McKinsey: 39; Stauffer: 436.
These prints were based on sketches made by Wilson during his trip to Niagara Falls in 1804. They were engraved to illustrate his poem "The Foresters; A Poem: Descriptive of a Pedestrian Journey to the Falls of Niagara, in the Autumn of 1804." (The Port Folio, New Series 1-3; June 1809-March 1810.)
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