Caspar David Friedrich

Life dates

Caspar David Friedrich was born in Greifswald on September 5, 1774. He died in Dresden on May 7, 1840. At the time, his birthplace was part of Sweden. Friedrich therefore remained a Swedish citizen throughout his life. He studied in Greifswald, Copenhagen and Dresden.

Friedrich was deeply connected to nature and religious. He did not simply paint nature as it was, but sought to make God's work in nature visible and understandable.

The Christian faith was the foundation of all life for him. This is reflected in his paintings, where figures stand on solid rock or stone. He often explored the coming into being and passing away of life. Some of his paintings have a somewhat melancholy feel.

Many paintings show people from behind, usually standing in the centre of the picture. This encourages viewers to put themselves in the figures’ place and focus all the more on the natural event being depicted.

Here you can see some paintings by Caspar David Friedrich, which he painted between 1798 and 1835. After suffering a stroke, he was unable to work again until his death. You will also find a few thoughts about each painting, which may help you understand it.

Summer (1807)

A couple embraces in a small arbor. Two lovebirds coo in a tree. The summer landscape shows life in all its abundance. The picture is colorful, warm, bright, and harmonious.

It is the counterpart to a painting showing a bleak winter landscape with a lone monk walking through it (see Figure 4). Both paintings express the contrast between happiness and despondency.

Artists have often linked the seasons to the stages of life. Childhood and youth were associated with spring and summer, while old age and death were depicted with autumn and winter.

Abbey in an Oak Forest (1809/1810)

Monks walk towards the ruins of a church portal. Some of them are carrying a coffin. In the foreground, an open grave and several crosses can be seen. The bottom third of the picture lies in darkness. The sun illuminates only the upper part of the ruins and the bare oak trees. The crescent moon is visible in the sky.

Friedrich painted this picture around the same time as “The Monk by the Sea.” Both paintings convey a similar mood. Humanity is lost on this earth, beneath a brightening sky that represents promise and redemption.

The Monk by the Sea (1809/1810)

A monk stands alone on a grass-covered dune. He is looking out at a rough sea and a cloudy sky. Apart from the monk, there are 14 seagulls in the picture. One is perched a few metres to his right; the others are flying away from him.

The sky fills most of the picture. It appears very dark near the horizon and becomes lighter higher up. The person faces the center of the sky and thus the afterlife.

Wanderer above the Sea of Fog

Here we see a figure from behind, looking out at a landscape. The figure stands on an elevated spot. Friedrich often used figures looking in the same direction as the viewer. This invites us to focus on the depiction of nature too. The foreground is painted in dark colours, with the rocks and the figure shown in great detail, while the background is light and less sharply defined. Dense mist obscures the details of the distant valleys and mountains.

Woman before the Setting Sun (around 1816)

In this picture, we see a woman with her arms slightly open. Her upper body is surrounded by a radiant light. Once again, a figure has its back to us. But she is not turning us away; instead, she invites us to look at the gentle hills and the sky. Despite the warmth of the picture, the sunset reminds us that all things pass. The bend in the path suggests the end of life, while the boulders are symbols of trust in God. The outstretched arms show that this person accepts what is to come.

On the Sailboat (1818/1819)

A woman and a man are aboard a sailing ship. The ship is heading toward a city. The sea is calm, although the wind fills the sails. The picture is painted in a warm shade of brown. The two people are wearing clothes you wouldn’t expect sailors to wear.

Caspar David Friedrich may not have intended to depict a sailing trip at all. Instead, the painting could be a symbol of life’s journey. The two people travelling through life together are on a sturdy, but rather small, boat. The wind is propelling it, but there is no danger. They are heading for a town, where they will meet other people.

Two Men Contemplating the Moon (1819)

On the left, on the rock between two mighty trees, stand two men. One has his arm around the other’s shoulder. Perhaps they are talking; perhaps they are lost in silence.

The two trees divide the picture into two parts. The path leads to the right, towards a spruce forest. The landscape in the foreground is rugged and rocky. But the things we see are familiar to us.

Beyond the trees begins the unknown distance. The two men are evidently aware that they can never cross this boundary. We are familiar with the Moon and its light too, but we know little about it, the other celestial bodies or the infinite universe.

Moonrise over the Sea (1822)

This picture exudes a great sense of calm. Two sailing ships are returning home, and the three people in the middle of the picture have settled on large rocks. The day is over, night is falling and the moon is rising.

The people in the picture are taking this in their stride; nothing suggests that they are afraid of the night and seeking shelter in safe homes. They are impressed by the vastness of the sky and the sea. They know that even at the end of their lives, the comfort of a distant world awaits them.

The Sea of Ice (1823/1824)

When Caspar David Friedrich was 12 years old, he fell through the ice while skating. His younger brother Christoffer drowned. Perhaps he worked this childhood memory into his painting of the Sea of Ice. The ice floes are piled up and shifted over one another; people have no chance against them.

A ship that has ventured into the Arctic Ocean has become wedged in the ice floes. It seems to be sinking; some ice sheets have pushed over its hull. A few tree trunks can also be seen, trapped firmly in the ice. Icebergs in the background hint at unseen dangers. The foreground shows us death and destruction.

The Stages of Life (1834)

A group of people stands in the foreground of the picture. The two children in the middle are holding up a small Swedish flag. A woman and a man, perhaps the children’s parents, stand on either side. A little farther away, an older person stands with their back to the viewer. The woman and children are dressed for summer, while the older person is wearing a coat and a fur hat.

By the old man, Friedrich probably means himself. He was already 60 years old when he painted this picture. He is already facing the afterlife. The younger man is full of energy, the children are playing carefree, and the woman is busy with them.

You can find more paintings by Caspar David Friedrich on Wikipedia

Images: public domain