The Invention of Romanticism: Friedrich's Revolutionary Vision

Description

Caspar David Friedrich (1774-1840), German painter, graphic artist and draughtsman, stands as one of the most significant artists of German early Romanticism. Through his constructive image inventions oriented towards aesthetic effect, he made an original contribution to modern art, contradicting conventional notions of Romantic painting as emotional expression. His major works revolutionarily break with the traditions of landscape painting from the Baroque and Classicism periods. The thematic and motif canon combines landscape and religion, predominantly as allegories of solitude, death, afterlife concepts and redemption hopes. Friedrich's melancholic worldview exemplifies the artist's self-understanding during the Romantic era. His works engage viewers in an open-ended interpretive process, inviting emotional participation. Exhibition catalogue: Museum Folkwang, Essen (5 May - 20 August 2006) and Hamburger Kunsthalle (7 October 2006 - 28 January 2007). Published by Hirmer, 2006. 383 pages, numerous illustrations, folio format, hardcover. Very good condition.