Caspar David Friedrich

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Caspar David Friedrich was born in 1774 in Greifswald, then part of Swedish Pomerania, and became the leading figure of German Romantic painting. He studied in Copenhagen before settling in Dresden, where he developed a deeply personal artistic vision. Friedrich is best known for his contemplative landscapes that explore nature as a source of spiritual and emotional meaning. His paintings often feature solitary figures set against vast, silent landscapes.

Rather than depicting nature realistically, Friedrich used it symbolically to express ideas of faith, mortality, and the sublime. Motifs such as ruins, mountains, fog, and moonlight recur throughout his work. His compositions invite quiet reflection rather than dramatic action. Although respected by some contemporaries, his art fell out of favor later in his life. Friedrich died in 1840. In the 20th century, his work was rediscovered and recognized as central to Romanticism and modern ideas of landscape and inner experience.