The Falls of the Rhine at Schaffhausen

De Loutherbourg's Falls of the Rhine at Schaffhausen from 1788 depicts the most spectacular natural spectacle in northern Europe — the Rhine's dramatic plunge over limestone ledges at the Swiss-German border. The Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen was a standard destination for Romantic-era tourists seeking experiences of natural sublimity, its combination of enormous volume, thunderous sound, and mist-filled air making it one of the most physically overwhelming natural phenomena in the region. De Loutherbourg's version translated this experience into paint with the dramatic chiaroscuro and atmospheric effects that were his primary technical resources for depicting natural extremity.

De Loutherbourg's oil on canvas renders the waterfall with dramatic force and atmospheric spray effects, using powerful contrasts of light and dark to convey the overwhelming power of the cascading water.