This great surge of emotion happens without us. The mist works as a physical manifestation for the heightening of emotion. There’s a sense of this fog swelling upward. His garments signify the past and tradition. He stands at the pinnacle of experience, gazing out to a vast horizon of mist and mystery. This figure turns away from us at the moment he reaches a peak in his journey. Mood and meaning : Wanderer above the Sea of Fog In fact, if you look up Rückenfigur in most any reference, this painting will likely dominate in the results. His masterpiece Wanderer above the Sea of Fog serves as the most common visual archetype for Rückenfigur. Caspar David Friedrich is the most illustrative and iconic example. This painting motif dates to antiquity but rose to popularity in Germany during this period. We see a person from behind as they gaze into a landscape. Rückenfigur works in painting as the back of a figure. Caspar David Friedrich’s painting Wanderer above the Sea of Fog sets a perfect example. In fact, some of the most iconic Romantic artworks focus on a single figure. But that wasn’t the case in 1800s Romanticism. In today’s world, romance has an amorous meaning. Romantics often portrayed these feelings regarding nature’s beauty and the sublime. Prevalent examples included awe and fear. This movement revolved around intense emotion. Romantic art sprouted wings in Europe in the early 1800s. Rather, it’s a prop that represents this man’s journey. We see in his stance that the walking stick isn’t a necessity now. He wears traditional clothes and surveys the scene with a thoughtful posture.

We know the mountains and forest loom beyond. Friedrich blends foggy wisps into the nebulous background… both earth and sky. We see only bluffs, fog, and a man with a walking stick at the forefront. Together, the foggy crag and stalwart figure make magic of meditation.įriedrich keeps the canvas simple. There’s more than a mere landscape or figure here. But in Wanderer above the Sea of Fog we discover a sense of sublime contemplation. In many Friedrich paintings the figure plays a minimal role. Interplay between figure and setting reveal the most powerful part of this piece. This painting distinguishes itself among Friedrich’s other landscape portraits in many ways. In fact, many art historians consider it the defining work of the Romantic art movement. Like many of Caspar David Friedrich’s works, it combines landscape and portrait. What is the meaning behind the painting Wanderer above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich?Ĭlick here for the podcast version of this post.Ī man’s back becomes much more in Wanderer above the Sea of Fog.

Wanderer above the sea of fog meaning