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Casper Friedrich, 'Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog', 1818





My eye is immediately drawn to the use of Rückenfigur by Friedrich, where the figure stands with their back to the viewer and is seen from behind, creating the sense of the viewer looking out at another viewer, within the canvas. It also adds to the layers of the composition, with the figure in the immediate foreground and the landscape receding in front of him. This enables the viewer to identify with that figure in the painting, and involves the onlooker in the picture more, almost suggesting that they are as central to this art as the man standing before them. The viewer enters the canvas and is at once dwarfed by the Romantic notion of the sublime, and the completely overwhelming power of the natural world. The contrapposto stance of the figure perhaps reflects his uneasiness in the scene - nature is making him unsure of himself and unsteady on his feet, making him question his motives and path through life. However, the fact that the viewer cannot see the figure's face means that it is difficult to know exactly what he is thinking. The viewer starts to put their own emotions onto the face of this man. 

Mountainous peaks rise up out of the mist and cloud in front of the figure, linking to the choice of title - the mist is actually a sea, forever moving and changing, never constant. Friedrich implies, with his limited colour palette of greys and whites, that nature does not have to be traditionally beautiful to be awe-inspiring. Painted in 1818, Friedrich here references the works of Romantic poets such as Wordsworth ('huge peak, black and huge') who also focused on the contemplation of nature. The way that the wisps of mist are dragged across the canvas perhaps suggests a slight breeze is blowing, the same breeze that ruffles the hair of the figure, the only real change of colour in the whole painting. There is a distinct line of cloud through the centre of the canvas, which seems to be emanating from the figure himself. Perhaps Friedrich is implying that nature comes from within, or could simply be suggesting the colossal force that nature has on one's soul. This is the force that is unbalancing the figure in the canvas, linking back to his contrapposto stance.

The landscape dwarfs the figure. Judging by his clothes, the figure looks like a well respected member of society, but the fact that he is swamped in nature in this setting highlights that ultimately his status means nothing here. Friedrich's landscapes are full of ambiguity, and the viewer can never really tell what the underlying message is, but they are also highly symbolic. The figure here is obviously young, standing on the solidity of the present looking out on an unknown future. Although there are many pessimistic readings, the use of the Golden Section and the lightness of the horizon suggest otherwise. In fact, there is definite balance and harmony in this piece. The figure is ultimately above the mist, and he has found himself through his contemplation. 
 

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