Washington F. Friend (1820-1886), Niagara Falls

Washington F. Friend (1820-1886)
Niagara Falls
signed 'W F Friend' (lower right)
watercolour and bodycolour on paper
14 x 20in. (35.6 x 50.8cm.) and smaller
and four other watercolours of Niagara Falls and environs

The Falls of Niagara may justly be classed among the wonders of the world. They are the pride of America, unequalled in grandeur, magnitude, and magnificence, by any other known cataract; and have, since they were discovered, exerted an attractive influence over millions of the human race, who have flocked thither year after year to gaze upon the tumultuous crash of water with the deepest solemnity. The power and majesty of the Almighty are, perhaps, more awfully exhibited and more fully realized in this stupendous waterfall than in any other scene on earth.
Washington Friend

Friend was sketching at the Falls in the 1850s on his 'Great American Tour' and the visits and sketches made there resulted in an illustrated guide (The Falls Of Niagara being a complete guide to all the points of interest around and in the immediate neighbourhood of the Great Cataract, with views from sketches taken by Washington Friend, and from photographs ...) published in 1858, and in a series of large panoramic watercolours painted for exhibition at the Alexandra Palace. Two large watercolours of the Falls were acquired by the Royal Collection (RL21529-30) in 1865. For a variant of one of these large panoramas see Christie's South Kensington, 1 April 2015 (The Winkworth Collection), lot 138 (£52,500). Friend was writing about the falls at Niagara before Livingstone's discovery of the Victoria Falls (twice as high and wide as Niagara), reached in November 1855. Livingstone's account of the African falls was included in his Missionary Travels published in 1857.
five (5)