Passaic Falls, New Jersey (?) 1811 - 1816

Pavel Petrovich Svinin made this watercolor on paper, probably in the early 19th century. Svinin's monochrome palette really throws into relief the ways that the Passaic Falls have been marked by industry. You can almost feel the weight of the rock as it rises out of the water, forming a natural arch. With the rapid and uninhibited strokes of watercolor, the artist captures a landscape caught between the picturesque and the productive. Waterfalls like this one were, in this period, not only beautiful features in the landscape, but potential sources of power. Svinin painted this scene on paper, a relatively inexpensive and portable material. In his hands, the medium captures both the sublime beauty of the natural scene, and also hints at its capacity to generate capital. By exploring the materials and the methods of its production, we gain insight into how art embodies social and economic forces.