A RARE SIGHTING
$395.00
Editorial View
The Gallery's Perspective
You first notice the sky—a vast sweep of blue alive with soft, traveling clouds—that gives this scene an open, almost celebratory air. Below it, John Buxton renders the Great Falls of the Passaic with a steady, observant hand: sheer rock faces rise sharply on the right, their craggy textures and shadowed crevices contrasting with the white, tumbling water that breaks and foams as it pours into the gorge. The human figures along the shoreline are small by comparison, which only deepens the feeling of nature’s scale and power; their relaxed poses—wading, gathering, bending—bring warmth and everyday life to an otherwise monumental landscape. Look closely and you’ll see how warm sunlight models the stone and skin, giving the composition a tactile clarity. There’s a gentle tension here between motion and stillness: the river pushes onward, the falls shout their presence, while the people anchor a calm, lived-in rhythm. It’s an image that celebrates place—wild, historic, and quietly inhabited—and leaves you with the impression of a landscape both grand and intimately known.
The Artwork
About Great Falls of the Passaic
Just outside New York City runs the Passaic River and one of the most impressive sets of waterfalls in the east. The Lenni Lenape Indians knew the falls well as a prime camping and fishing site. They called it "Totowa," to sink or be forced down beneath the waters by weight, a tribute to this awesome mass of water. The falls were also a natural bottleneck for prodigious amounts of sturgeon during their annual spawn. Long before the canvas sails of the Europeans appeared on the ocean"s horizon, present-day Paterson, New Jersey, was an important and thriving Indian community.
John Buxton"s award-winning "Great Falls of the Passaic" is a stirring reminder of the astonishing wilderness sites and bygone way of life that have long since been swallowed up by urban growth. This Fine Art Limited Edition Canvas is a work of that art educates, inspires while bestowing a natural beauty and grace to any room in which it hangs.
Collector Details
What to Know About This Piece
Product-specific details, edition information, provenance, and special considerations are shown here when applicable.
About the Collection
John Buxton is a renowned historical fine artist, best known for his realistic depictions of 18th-century American frontier life. His artwork, meticulously researched and historically accurate, brings to life the events and people of the French and Indian War, Native American history, and Colonial America. With a background in commercial illustration, Buxton transitioned to fine art, creating dynamic and immersive historical scenes that capture the essence of America’s early conflicts and cultural interactions. His collectible fine art prints and original paintings are highly sought after by history enthusiasts and art collectors, preserving the rich heritage of the American Revolution and frontier life.
Artist Signature
Signed by the artist
This piece is artist signed and includes a Certificate of Authenticity.
Image Rights
Image copyright © 2026 by John Buxton.
Authorized Source
Authenticity & Documentation
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"John Buxton was born in the small southern town of Oxford, North Carolina. He
excelled at art from childhood. After two years of general college in his
home state, he earned his art degree from the Art Center College of Design in
Los Angeles, California.
He was a successful illustrator for 31 years, working in Detroit, Cleveland
and Pittsburgh. During this time, he illustrated two books for the National
Geographic Society and developed a fascination with documentation and truth in
art. In 1994 he left illustration and began painting subjects more personal
to his interests.
Buxton soon began exhibiting his painting, placing two works in the
Birds in Art show at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum. Northlight Books
later reproduced these two paintings in The Best of Wildlife Art 2 by Rachel
Rubin World. He entered, and placed in the Top 100 in the Arts For The Parks
competition. The Society of Animal Artists elected him to membership and
invited him to show in their national exhibitions. He exhibited with the
American Academy of Equine Artists before settling into his true niche:
Historical Art.
Buxton s historical images of the 18th century often depict scenes
from the birth of our nation, allowing the viewer to witness momentous events
or experiences from everyday life of the frontier. Many historical sites
display Buxton s extensively researched works and several documentary films
have been aired that featured his paintings. Buxton s paintings are available
as a CD Teaching Aid for educators wishing to give students a more intimate
view of America s historical heritage, effectively making history come alive.
His original paintings and commissioned works are in great demand. Buxton
exhibits his original art at Settlers West Galleries in Arizona, Gallery One
of Ohio and Lord Nelson s Gallery in Gettysburg. Buxton has shown his artwork
at the Gilcrease Museum and his largest painting; a life-size standing
portrait of Abraham Lincoln hangs in a place of honor at the National Civil War Museum.
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