Steamwheeler on the Upper Mississippi - Ferdinand Richardt (US), 1865

Before immigrating to America in 1873, Richardt (1819-1895) first visited America between 1855-1859, during which time he visited and visually documented several of the country's greatest natural wonders such as Niagara, Mammouth Caves, Virginia's Natural Bridge, and the upper reaches of the mighty Mississippi. Upon his arrival in St. Paul in 1857, the artist immediately began to explore the region's key geographical landmarks such as Lake Pepin and St. Anthony Falls. This painting, created back in Denmark nine years after the artist's visit to the region, is obviously based upon Richardt's sketches from 1857 and very likely may be a revised version of a painting now in the Minnesota Historical Society which incorporates this view into a broader vista along the same stretch of river between southern Minnesota and Wisconsin.