The beauty of nature and the solitude of man are dominant themes in the work of Carl David Friedrich (1774-1840). The artist often places a small human figure in a wide landscape, as in his famous paintings "Monk by the Sea" and "The Wanderer above the Sea of Fog." The importance and influence of this great romantic painter have long been underestimated. When he died, Friedrich had already been forgotten by his contemporaries and was rediscovered only in the early 20th century. Today he is considered the most important German painter of his generation and a forerunner of Expressionism. Once, Friedrich gave the following advice to a fellow artist who wanted to break away from academic rules: "Close your physical eye so that you may first see your painting with the spiritual eye. Then bring to the light of day that which you have seen in the darkness, so that it may impact others, shining from the inside out." In other words, concentration and not imitation, substance and not superficial brushstrokes.

Pages: 96, Year of Publication: 1118, Dimensions: 21x21cm