Caspar David Friedrich, The Cemetery Entrance, 1825. Try to remember if these famous names were painters or architects. Caspar David Friedrich was a highly significant German artist from the 19th century who was most famous for his work within the genre of landscape painting. Premium Membership is now 50% off! Image via Wikimedia Commons. Caspar David Friedrich, né le 5 septembre 1774 à Greifswald et mort le 7 mai 1840 à Dresde, est un peintre et dessinateur prussien, considéré comme l'artiste le plus important et influent de la peinture romantique allemande du XIX e siècle.Il est particulièrement connu pour ses tableaux Le Voyageur contemplant une mer de nuages (1818) et La Mer de glace (1823-1824). Updates? His primary interest was the contemplation of nature, and his often … Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. In 1824 he was made a professor of the Royal Dresden Art Academy, though not in the capacity he had wished for. Friedrich studied from 1794 to 1798 at the Copenhagen Academy, one of the most progressive art schools of the day. Image via Wikimedia Commons. Other symbolic landscapes, such as The Sea of Ice (1822; also called The Wreck of the Hope; now lost), which makes reference Sir William Parry’s polar expedition, reveal his fatalism and his attitude toward Nature. von Goethe’s approval and half of the prize from the Weimar Art Society in 1805. Though he was taught by many painters, the school did not offer a course in painting. Think you know your artists? He became familiar with tragedy at an early age, losing his mother when he was seven, and two sisters to childhood illnesses. Caspar David Friedrich (September 5, 1774 - May 7, 1840) was a landscape painter of the nineteenth-century German Romantic movement, of which he is now considered the most important painter. In 1835 he suffered a stroke from which he never recovered, and a second stroke in 1837 caused him almost complete paralysis. For a long time his work was forgotten; it was revived in the 20th century, and the artist’s reputation continued to strengthen into the 21st. Image via Wikimedia Commons. His vast, mysterious, atmospheric landscapes and seascapes proclaimed human helplessness against the forces of nature and did much to establish the idea of the Sublime as a central concern of Romanticism. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Corrections? This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Caspar-David-Friedrich, Web Gallery of Art - Biography of Caspar David Friedrich, Art Encyclopedia - Biography of Caspar David Friedrich, Caspar David Friedrich - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). He settled at Dresden and became a member of an artistic and literary circle that included the painter Philipp Otto Runge and the writers Ludwig Tieck and Novalis. Caspar David Friedrich was a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter, generally considered the most important German artist of his generation. Summary of Caspar David Friedrich. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Caspar David Friedrich, (born September 5, 1774, Greifswald, Pomerania [now in Germany]—died May 7, 1840, Dresden, Saxony), one of the leading figures of the German Romantic movement. Caspar David Friedrich, (born September 5, 1774, Greifswald, Pomerania [now in Germany]—died May 7, 1840, Dresden, Saxony), one of the leading figures of the German Romantic movement. Omissions? As Romanticism called for, Friedrich demonstrated piety to God through nature, the diminished strength of … Gerhard von Kügelgen, Portrait of Caspar David Friedrich (c. 1810–1820) This is an … Caspar David Friedrich, detail of The Cemetery Entrance, 1825. 3. After reading the Friedrich biographies available for free online, I discovered that he was heavily acquainted with tragedy. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Click here to see a complete collection of Caspar David Friedrich oil artworks paintings and drawings, that include some of the world's best known, most popular and most expensive pieces Caspar David Friedrich changed the face of landscape paintings with his intense and emotional focus on nature, and became a key member of the Romantic Movement. Caspar David Friedrich (5 September 1774 – 7 May 1840) was a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter, generally considered the most important German artist of his generation. Friedrich took the genre of landscape painting, traditionally considered unimportant, and infused it with deep religious and spiritual significance. When friends and family have checked in on me these past months, I’ve occasionally told them I’m worried about my heart. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_Caspar_David_Friedrich Black Friday Sale! As Romanticism called for, Friedrich demonstrated piety to God through nature, the diminished strength of man in the larger scale of life, and great emotion. Caspar David Friedrich, detail of The Cemetery Entrance, 1825. His first important oil painting, The Cross in the Mountains (c. 1807; also called the Tetschen Altarpiece), established his mature style, characterized by an overwhelming sense of stillness and isolation, and was an attempt to replace the traditional symbology of religious painting with one drawn from nature. He is best known for his mid-period allegorical landscapes which typically feature contemplative figures silhouetted against night skies, morning mists, barren trees or Gothic ruins. Biography of Caspar David Friedrich The sixth of ten children, Caspar David Friedrich was born into a strict Lutheran family. He is best known for his mid-period allegorical landscapes which typically feature contemplative figures silhouetted against night skies, morning mists, barren trees or Gothic ruins. Diferentemente, Caspar David Friedrich recusa-se veementemente, do mesmo modo que van Gogh duas gerações mais tarde, a uma correspondente retomada de temas bíblico-religiosos na pintura e concentra-se, ao invés disto, na natureza - num significado religioso-espiritual. Caspar David Friedrich changed the face of landscape paintings with his intense and emotional focus on nature, and became a key member of the Romantic Movement. Though they were based on close observation of the landscape, his works were coloured by his imaginative response to the atmosphere of the Baltic coast and the Harz Mountains, which he found both awesome and ominous.