Caspar David Friedrich

Wanderer Above the Sea of Mist

By Caspar David Friedrich

The Romanticism period started in the early nineteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth century. In this period there was a growth in nationalism, a rise of the individual, and an emphasis on a powerful and uncontrollable presence that is nature. 

Artists were the true philosophers of the time and unlike the Enlightenment period, their works were separated from society. Art of the romantic period was very different from the Enlightenment period because artists were considered as the "dreamer". Art was also more organic and less symmetric. The lighting is different in romantic pieces because it is brought to the background instead of the foreground. Mystical skies and powerful nature scenes were starting to be the focus of artist's work. 

This piece by Friedrich represents the romantic era in many different ways. The lighting of this painting focuses on the background which pulls attention to the sky and nature of the valley the individual is looking at. This painting also depicts the concept of the individual as a dreamer because the place where this individual is painted, is a mystery. You don't know what lies beyond this valley and you can't tell if he is standing in the clouds or looking at a patch of fog. This piece is very asymmetric which represents the concept of breaking away from Enlightenment ideals. The only attention pulled to the foreground is the shadow of the individual. 

I think that romantic artwork is mysterious and beautiful. Artist's depict nature as if you were in the picture itself. I think that's why this period focused on the emotions of an individual and these dramatic emotions are shown in the artwork of this time.