Today we’re going to talk to you about impressive artwork by Caspar David Friedrich, known as ‘Journey Over the Clouds’ or ‘Wanderer on the Sea of Fog’. The painting, which was finished in 1818, is on display in the Art Gallery of Hamburg, Germany and It is shown among the most important works of Romanticism Movement. In the center of the picture, we see a pretty charismatic stance and a man with his back turned towards us. Because of his stance, we guess that we’re not the only one who thinks he’s handsome, young and charismatic.
Who is this man standing in an extremely dangerous and magnificent place with his dark green coat and a walking stick that adds verticality to the posture and red hair blowing in the wind? What would you feel when you first put ourselves in its place and stand on a rock above the sea of fog? What would you think? We think it must have been an incredible moment.
There are a few thoughts about who this figure is. First of all, of course, the figure is the artist himself. Another thought is that Friedrich Gotthard von Bricken, one of the high-ranking colonels of the Saxon Infantry Union.
How was this conclusion reached? Of course, from his green coat. This coat gives us some information about his identity. The soldiers wearing this green coat are special forces called by the Prussian King to fight Napoleon. The most important name of these voluntary special forces is Friedrich Gotthard von Bricken. When we look at the date of this work, we realize that the colonel is already dead.
In other words, it is a very strong possibility that it was a work that was made in memory of the deceased colonel and that exalted it. If we think that a soldier is depicted here, then we can think that this soldier is depicted heroically.
Because, as we mentioned at the beginning, the scene depicts a magnificent moment. So where might this figure stand? Or how did the painter use the figure in this way? Did he do it right there? In fact, this is the Elbsandsteingebirge mountains in Germany. The artist visited the mountains, took sketches and painted them, and then completed the composition by placing the figure in the landscape in his studio.
In the history of art, some paintings invite us inwards, others compel us to watch from a far. When we look at this painting, you may think that the artist did not invite us because we saw a figure with his back, but in this picture feelings should be listened rather than logic.
Actually, the painting directly wants you to experience that wonderful moment, the experience, and to travel on the sea of fog. This is a pretty impressive detail. It will be better to talk about the Romanticism movement with this feature.
This is an artwork that is evaluated within the Romanticism movement. To put it briefly and simply, we can say that they are works that people glorify or are shown as a part of nature. In other works of the artist; It is one who aims to reflect the individual’s individuality, subjectiveity, spiritual life and love for nature.
In this way, we understand that the backward-looking figure is not trying to exclude us, but on the contrary, it is designed to be “we”. The mysterious person standing at the tip of a piece of rock on the fog is actually the audience. The artist draws the audience directly into the center of the picture as emotion, let alone invite them into the stage. The appeal of this mysterious man, whose face we have not seen, reminds us of both a very spiritual and personal experience.
What might he be thinking? The past? Is it love? Fame and glory? Or does it question the meaning of life? What would you like to think when you stopped at that point? How would you feel? Caspar David Friedrich wants us to experience and feel whatever he feels when doing the work he started painting with a canvas, brush and paints, his talent, originality and feelings.
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