Caspar David Friedrich

Caspar David Friedrich (1774–1840) spent over 40 years living and working in Dresden, where he created all his major works and vigorously engaged with the art of his day. His paintings have permanently influenced the way we see nature, achieving their tremendous radiance and magical subtlety through the sensitive application of thin layers of translucent paint. His study drawings are a stark reflection of the devotion and total concentration with which he set out to capture nature. Many of these drawings were made during walks in the environs of Dresden, in Saxon Switzerland and the Riesengebirge, as well as on trips home to Greifswald and the island of Rügen. These meticulous studies f...

Caspar David Friedrich (1774–1840) spent over 40 years living and working in Dresden, where he created all his major works and vigorously engaged with the art of his day. His paintings have permanently influenced the way we see nature, achieving their tremendous radiance and magical subtlety through the sensitive application of thin layers of translucent paint. His study drawings are a stark reflection of the devotion and total concentration with which he set out to capture nature. Many of these drawings were made during walks in the environs of Dresden, in Saxon Switzerland and the Riesengebirge, as well as on trips home to Greifswald and the island of Rügen. These meticulous studies formed the backbone of his paintings. He arranged and assembled the separately studied motifs to create completely new landscapes that unite religious and political themes with subjective sensibilities.

The catalogue for the major anniversary exhibition staged by the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden at the Albertinum and the Kupferstich-Kabinett sheds light on four core areas: The Draughtsman, The Painter, The Networks, The Reception. The individual essays are richly illustrated and include details from the works which bring the viewer closer to the artist than ever before.