The painting was shaped by influences of general peculiarities of the movement of that time, philosophical and literary influences. Wanderer above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich is a significant artwork that reflects the primary features of romanticism and the style of its creator. Thus, the history of the creation of any artwork is essential for its correct understanding and interpretation and contributes to the ability to feel the emotions embedded in the picture more intensely. The knowing of context and literary influences also helps to interpret the character of a depicted hero. Only understanding Friedrich’s philosophical desire to create an allegorical metaphor allows viewers to realize the real meaning of fog, which symbolizes the uncertainty and complexity of life. Without knowing the context of creation, it is possible to take the work too literally: a man stands on the top of a cliff and contemplates nature. Perceiving the work as part of romanticism, viewers can discover the profound interpretation: it is the author’s view of the unity of the greatness of nature and the feelings of an ordinary person. Knowing that Wanderer above the Sea of Fog was painted in the era of romanticism, a person can quickly realize its theme and content. The context in which the painting was written had a significant impact on how it turned out to look. Wanderer above the Sea of Fog in its “iconic symbolism of self-reflection on an uncertain future” is a “fitting visual metaphor” that was popular among artists and philosophers of that time (Robinson, 2020, p. Along with stylistic influences, this work was also shaped by literary (use of Byronic hero) and philosophical ones. This picture is “the expression of a particular moment in art history in which nature offers a vision of the ‘sublime’, a subtle mixture of natural beauty and deep feelings” (Shut, 2021, p. As already mentioned, the stylistic influences of that period have significantly shaped the painting. It would be wrong to judge the artwork without considering the context in which it was created. Therefore, Wander above the Sea of Fog is an iconic painting that combines the features of romanticism and the unique style of Friedrich. As a representative of this movement in art, Caspar David Friedrich brought several peculiarities into romanticism: the melancholy contemplation of nature and the symbolic implication of even those scenes that seem ordinary (Shut, 2021). The picture is based on the cult of nature, its rebellious essence: even being on a dais, the person seems to be nothing more than a tiny particle with no power over the elements. Like many representatives of romanticism, this man may be trying to find his place in life and harmony with nature. In the man depicted by Friedrich, it is possible to see several traits of the Byronic type of hero: he is proud and refined, as shown by his posture, mysterious, and, probably, lonely. The picture is characterized by the world’s perception at the level of feelings and subconsciousness (Shut, 2021). The boulder’s dramatic silhouette inspired by the jagged sandstones atop the Kaiserkrone, or “imperial crown” another table hill near the Zirkelstein.Since the painting was created during the heyday of romanticism, it reflects its essence and main features through the prism of the author’s vision. Even the rocks the titular wanderer stands on was pulled from nature. Below the Zirkelstein is the Gamrig, a rock formation that overlooks the village of Waltersdorf. The strange, vertical pillar in the far distance to the right of the figure is based on the Zirkelstein, a table hill topped by a 130ft tall sandstone rock on the border between Switzerland and the Czech Republic. Below the mountain a fingered rock craig looks like the million-year-old Bastei rock formation. The distant mountain peak to the left of the figure resembles either the Kaltenberg peak in Austria or the Růžovský vrch, the Rosenberg mountain. Friedrich described his approach to landscape painting saying “The artist should paint not only what he has in front of him but also what he sees inside himself.” Friedrich brought this practice to the Wanderer, splicing together a variety of landscapes from the Elbe Sandstone Mountains in Saxony, that he'd previously sketched in person.
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