Disciples of Romanticism: the Influence of Caspar David Friedrich

             Recognized as one of the greatest German Romantic artists, Caspar David Friedrich’s work is widely recognized and appreciated by viewers today. His impact was also prominent throughout his lifetime. Friedrich embraced the essence of German Romanticism through his frequent portrayal of wilderness, the moon, and intimate observers, Friedrich set an example in conveying the cultural values and regards of his day. His style and subject matter would quickly influence the work of other artists including Johan Christian Dahl and Carl Gustav Carus. While both of these men could be labeled as disciples of Friedrich, his personal connection with Dahl and Carus, along with August Heinrich, included deep friendship. These men would share a reverence for Friedrich, which would lead them to embrace the use of similar elements in their own art.

             Throughout a time of political unrest in Germany, these men found solace and community in the natural world surrounding them. A unified contemplation of place brought these men together in companionship, while leaving a lasting legacy in art. Featuring works by Friedrich and his disciples, this exhibit intends to showcase the common themes of these artists, while inviting viewers to share in the awe and gaze of their subjects.

Caspar David Friedrich, Two Men Contemplating the Moon, ca. 1825-30, Oil on canvas, 13 3/4 x 17 1/4 in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2000.51),

From https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/438417

Recognized as Caspar David Friedrich’s most famed work, Two Men Contemplating the Moon illustrates the luminosity and sublimity of, and unity with, nature yearned for by German Romanticists. Painted during the “lunar period” of German art and literature, the fairytale-like moon highlights the minuteness of man and the power of the night. With their backs towards viewers, the men’s gaze invites the viewer into the landscape to follow them in their contemplation of the moon.

August Heinrich, At the Edge of the Forest, ca. 1820, Oil on canvas, 10 ¾ x 12 ¾ in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2008.6),

From https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/439346

Identified as one of the men depicted in Two Men Contemplating the Moon, August Heinrich shared a dear friendship with Caspar David Friedrich. While studying as his pupil, Heinrich would pass away in 1822 at the age of 28. Much like Friedrich, Heinrich focused on landscapes, with At the Edge of the Forest featuring depictions of wooded and mountainous areas. He differed from Friedrich, however, in emphasizing botany in his scenes. With this objectivity, his works do not share in the mystical and awe-filled nature of the landscapes of Friedrich, Dahl, or Carus.

Johan Christian Dahl, Two Men Before a Waterfall at Sunset, 1823, Oil on canvas, 15 x 14 in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2019.167.3),

From https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/439344

Just as Caspar David Friedrich paid homage to August Heinrich in Two Men Contemplating the Moon, Johan Christian Dahl pays homage to Friedrich himself in Two Men Before a Waterfall at Sunset. While hailing from Norway, Dahl would move to Germany in 1823 and become Friedrich’s neighbor. Maintaining his native roots, Dahl continued to depict native Norwegian scenes. However, his work became greatly influenced by German Romanticism while sharing close quarters with Friedrich. The dream-like hues, the naturalistic wilderness, and the companionship of two men, as depicted by this disciple, show his respect for and inspiration from Friedrich’s work.

Johan Christian Dahl, Mother and Child by the Sea, 1830, Oil on canvas, 6 ¼ x 8 ⅛ in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2007.164.2),

From https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/438954

In Mother and Child by the Sea, Johan Christian Dahl once again reflects the work of Friedrich through his portrayal of the moon. With the vastness of the night sky and sea, the mother and her child reflect the smallness of mankind in comparison with nature. Depicting the family of a fisherman, Dahl may have felt a personal connection with his subjects, as he himself was the son of a fisherman. Thus, there is a relational intimacy between artist and subjects similar to that in Two Men Contemplating the Moon or Two Men Before a Waterfall at Sunset.

Carl Gustav Carus, Schloss Milkel in Moonlight, ca. 1833-35, Oil on canvas, 11 ¼ x 8 ½ in., The Metropolitan Museum of Art (2018.749),

From https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/788905

August Heinrich’s At the Edge of the Forest lacks human subjects, and Carl Gustav Carus’s Schloss Milkel in Moonlight follows suit. However, featuring a home with softly lit windows, there is an implied human presence. And, instead of a botanically-focused landscape, Carus embraces the Romantic. The trees frame the cloud-covered moon, much like the gnarly branches framing the moon in Two Men Contemplating the Moon. As a friend of Caspar David Friedrich, Carus shared in his view of the moon being a powerful part of the natural world.

Caspar David Friedrich, Evening Landscape with Two Men, ca. 1830-35, Oil on canvas, 9 ⅔ x 12 ⅙ in., Hermitage Museum,

From https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Caspar_David_Friedrich_-_Evening_Landscape_with_Two_Men_-_WGA8284.jpg

Evening Landscape with Two Men once again invites viewers to partake in the men’s admiration of, and communion with, nature, as they stand with their backs towards viewers. While lacking the presence of the moon, Caspar David Friedrich uses amber and gold hues similar to in Two Men Contemplating the Moon to give the sunset a mystical feeling. The light’s reflection in the expanse could be compared to that used by his disciple, Johan Christian Dahl, in Mother and Child by the Sea, with both conveying the immensity and grandeur of nature.