Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840) was a romantic landscape painter from the southern Baltic coast of Germany. He studied at the Copenhagen Academy from 1794-8 before moving to Dresden where he stayed until he died. His works are defined by his odd and unusual use of lighting, creating an eerie atmosphere to every piece. His relationship with nature is the belief that god is all around us and humans are insignificant in the presence of mystical nature. Friedrich’s outlook was not shared among his contemporaries, therefore his influence during his time was not significant. However, after his death, his work first started to gain recognition in 1906 at a gallery show in Berlin. From then on he started to gain more popularity and now his works are well known in Western culture.
I find this painting to be very quiet and contemplative. It feels very personal to the woman and her mood, immediately I wonder what she’s looking at through the window. It appears to be a port outside, guessing by the tall pole of a ship. There’s precise vertical and horizontal lines of the interior space but the woman balances out the strict geometry with the curves of her dress. The lighting is fantastic, the yellowy orange luminosity reminds me of honey. This is definitely a favourite of mine.
I like this piece for solely 2 reasons, the clouds and the light on the sea. The clouds are dramatic and overpowering, it was the first aspect of the painting I noticed and the reason why I was drawn to it. The lighting placed dead center on the sea is framed by two ship sails, creating balance and symmetry. The piece almost looks cinematic, like an opening shot of a film.
In this somber painting we see Friedrich’s view of humanity vs divinity in nature. The human figures are walking amongst this unmended graveyard and crumbling abbey, while the knobbly oak trees stay standing tall and threateningly. Additionally, there’s a faint view of a crescent moon in the sky, going through an endless cycle. We see nature’s time is lasting forever, giving it a quality of being divine. On the other hand, human time is running out, making us insignificant.
Just like “Woman at the Window”, the figure’s back is towards the viewer, creating a mood of self-reflection. He appears dignified in his green uniform and confident with his one foot propped up on the rock, leaning on his cane. The mist and fog of the sea with the mighty mountains in the back gives me the impression that the wanderer is standing in awe of his surroundings.
This painting is a haunting one due to the fact that Friedrich most often displays nature as powerful and everlasting, especially trees. However, the ones we see here are weak and neglected, even with some branches cut off. The cairn among the three trees is interpreted to be a burial site, touching on the theme of death. These oak trees are very similar to the one in “The Abbey in the Oakwood”, although both are spooky, they give off different representations. For this piece, it’s weakness, and the other is immortality.
Sources:
https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/routromanticera/friedrich_caspar_david_1774_1840/0