Romanticism Painting

                 In this beautiful painting, “Wanderer Above Sea of Mist” by the German artist, Caspar David Friedrich, it is obvious to see the Romantic ideals. It was painted in the prime of the Romantic Era in 1818 with oil on canvas. In the foreground of the picture, there is a seemingly young man standing on a vast rocky scenery which appears to be very high. He is gazing into the distance over a sea of mist or fog. It is left up to interpretation why this man would be standing in this spot. With the title being “Wanderer Above Sea of Mist”, it leads me to think that this man is an adventurer. That he is exploring the unknown to fulfill his curiosities in some way. This ties in with the characteristic of romanticism, the rugged individual. From this perspective it is obvious to see that this man is by himself and from the title you get the feeling that he is a dreamer as well, which is another name for an individual. He is alone in his ways of travel, but that fits in with the aesthetics of romanticism perfectly. Another aspect of romanticism that could be seen in this painting is a longing for the infinite. This may not be something that is thought of right away at first glance of this piece of art, but when you think harder about it, it can be seen. In my mind, I thought, what is this man thinking? Why is he all the way on the top of this rock? I came to believe that he was searching or longing for something, which ties into the longing for the infinite. Lastly, the most obvious romantic aspect of this oil painting is the glorification of nature seen within it. Everything from the gorgeous sky, to the mysterious mountains in the distance, to the wispy fog and jagged rocks, nature is caught in a purely authentic form in this artwork. Romanticism was the start of a whole new generation of art, and I think it was one of the greatest eras without a doubt. The whole new approach and idea of Romanticism gave an attitude to art that was never seen before. The “Wanderer Above Sea of Mist” was an excellent example to explain the true ideals and aesthetics of the Romantic Era.