- Birth year: 1774
- Date of death: 7 may 1840
- Country: Germany
Biography:
Caspar David Friedrich – German painter, a brilliant representative of romanticism. Among his followers is one of the stars of Norwegian painting, Johan Christian Dahl.
The future painter was born in an ordinary family, his father was a soap-boiler. Even at a very young age he lost his parents and lost most of his immediate family. The ability of the arts developed early in 1790 he began to study drawing, and in 1784 he spent four years in the walls of the Royal Danish Academy of fine arts, which was located in Copenhagen.
After graduation, the young master returned to his native Germany and settled in Dresden. Here he became acquainted with the romantic direction. The art style of Frederick has been seriously affected many of the masters of romanticism, the impact of and familiarity with Goethe, philosopher Carus and other great men of the era.
In this period, the artist met with Dahl and support with him a close relationship. He loves travelling and travels frequently through Europe, getting a vivid impression of the nature of different countries. In this period down to 1809 Friedrich works exclusively in the picture using the Sepia or pin.
To master the art of oil painting it was only after the perfection of the picture. The following year his work was recognized by society and become popular among connoisseurs of art.
Romanticism Friedrich has a distinct touch of mysticism and a certain melancholy. In his works there are often motives cemeteries, crosses, roadside crucifixes, distant cities and standing far out at sea sailing. This theme of loneliness and detachment from the tumultuous joys of life in General characteristic of romantic painting of the era, but this artist’s work has acquired a specific colouring, making them easily recognizable.
Some works seem very modern and sometimes have difficulty associated with painting, created at the beginning of the XIX century. For example, the painting “Arctic ocean”, which was previously called “the Wreck of hope”, it looks totally modern and avant-garde in the free float of the artist with color and transmission of the forms and dynamics of ice blocks.
A kind of programmatic work of the artist considered the painting “Stages of life”. It depicts three adults and two children – representatives of different ages, perhaps several generations of the same family. Interestingly, they walk on the beach, which is exactly the same ships in different sizes. A clear associative line size of sailing ships and the age of the characters.
Feature of canvas is the workshop transfer the vivid colours of the sunset over the sea. They are very juicy and rich, which makes the painting a modern and expressive-sounding, even in our days.
The artist created many paintings, reflecting the real or imaginary objects, such as floating in the air temples or angelic figure. Some of the paintings of the masters converge on the aesthetics and style of execution works in a typically German style Biedermeier.
Since 1824, the wizard became a Professor at the Academy of arts in Dresden. He left quite a numerous aphorisms and reflections about the role of art.
Within 11 years, the artist was unable to continue to do what you love. He fell ill and was paralyzed. All he could do in this period is to paint a Sepia tone, creating works of small size.
The life of a talented artist ended in poverty in the favourite Dresden. He was only 65 years old. For many years his art was forgotten, once again, becoming popular only in the beginning of the last century with the heyday of surrealism. Some of the paintings of the masters may well be considered the first experiments in this direction.