Rapids Above Hadley's Falls (No. 4 of The Hudson River Portfolio)
This stretch of river occurs between Jessup's Landing and Haley's Falls on the upper Hudson, where the water "sweeps round an elbow of stupendous rocks...sunk between two magnificent walls of perpendicular cliffs." John Agg's text goes on to tell us that "towering and massive rocks are, perhaps, the most striking images of solitude and sublimity....in combination with another feature of the grand and impressive order---an intervening current of broken and confused waters---convey[ing] to the mind a most effective idea of romantic loneliness." The print comes from the Hudson River Portfolio, a monument of American printmaking produced through the collaboration of artists, a writer, and publishers. In the summer of 1820, the Irish-born William Guy Wall toured and sketched along the Hudson, then painted a series of large watercolors. Prints of equal scale were proposed—to be issued to subscribers in sets of four—and John Rubens Smith hired to work the plates. Almost immediately, Smith was replaced by the skilled London-trained aquatint engraver John Hill, who finished the first four plates, and produced sixteen more by 1825. Over the next decade, the popularity of the Portfolio stimulated new appreciation for American landscape, and prepared the way for the Hudson River School.
Artwork Details
- Title: Rapids Above Hadley's Falls (No. 4 of The Hudson River Portfolio)
- Series/Portfolio: The Hudson River Portfolio
- Etcher: John Hill (American (born England), London 1770–1850 Clarksville, New York)
- Artist: after William Guy Wall (Irish, Dublin 1792–after 1864 Ireland (active America))
- Publisher: Henry J. Megarey (American, 1818–1845 New York)
- Date: 1822–23
- Medium: Aquatint printed in color with hand-coloring; first state of two (Koke)
- Dimensions: Image: 14 1/16 x 20 3/16 in. (35.7 x 51.3 cm)
Sheet: 19 x 24 1/2 in. (48.3 x 62.2 cm) - Classification: Prints
- Credit Line: The Edward W. C. Arnold Collection of New York Prints, Maps and Pictures, Bequest of Edward W. C. Arnold, 1954
- Object Number: 54.90.1274(4)
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Multiple artists/makers
1821–25
Multiple artists/makers
1821
Multiple artists/makers
1757
Multiple artists/makers
1823–24
Multiple artists/makers
1823–24
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.