The scene depicts the Grand Cascade and the Samson Fountain in the gardens of the Peterhof Palace in Saint Petersburg at sunset, with the deep blue of the sky reflected in both the water and the palace in the distance. In the foreground stands one of the gilded mermaid fountains surrounding the Samson basin. At the center rises the gilded statue of Samson defeating the lion, the monumental fountain for which the ensemble is renowned. Between the fountain and the palace stretches the Grand Cascade, adorned with its series of golden sculptures.
