Curated by Melody Cheng. Works by Caspar David Friedrich (German, 1774 – 1840), Romanticism, landscape painting
Monk by the Sea, Caspar David Friedrich, 1808/1810, From the collection of: Alte Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Rückenfigur, a German term meaning "the turned figure", is a pictorial characteristic applied by Casper David Friedrich.
Pilgrim in a Rocky Valley, Carl Gustav Carus, after 1828/1830, From the collection of: Alte Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
Joseph Leo Koerner examines the effects of using the turned figure as a mediator between viewers and his vision and a compositional device.
Moonrise over the Sea, Caspar David Friedrich, 1822, From the collection of: Alte Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
The lone male figure in Friedrich’s paintings has attracted attention of many scholars. By contrast, the female Rückenfigur seems to be neglected.
Woman at a Window, Caspar David Friedrich, 1822, From the collection of: Alte Nationalgalerie, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin
The lone woman is often positioned in a domestic setting. Leaning on the sill, the woman looks comfortable to stay indoors to view the irregular trees and clouds. She is by no means an eager wanderer.
Credits: All media
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