Caspar Friedrich’s ‘Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog’ and Sublime Transformation

Caspar Friedrich’s ‘Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog’ and Sublime Transformation
A detail from Casper David Friedrich’s "Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog." Public Domain
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Caspar David Friedrich was a German Romantic painter. He is most well-known for his painting “Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog.” In this painting, he depicts a gentleman at the top of a mountain looking out into the mysterious and seemingly endless horizon. Mountains can be seen in the distance, coming up from the fog.
Why is this painting significant for discussion? It is difficult to discuss this painting without also discussing a general conception of the sublime.
Eric Bess
Eric Bess
Author
Eric Bess, Ph.D., is a fine artist, a writer on art-related topics, and an assistant professor at Fei Tian College in Middletown, New York.