Portrait of Caspar David Friedrich Caspar David Friedrich

Caspar David Friedrich Painting Reproductions 3 of 5

1774-1840

German Romanticism Painter

Caspar David Friedrich was born on 5 September 1774 in the coastal town of Greifswald, then under Swedish rule. From an early age, he was confronted with loss, including the death of his mother and several siblings. These formative tragedies, set against the stark vistas of the Baltic region, would later shape a resolute perception of nature and its quiet intimations of the transcendental. Although there is some uncertainty regarding his family’s finances, he managed to receive a focused education that introduced him to art. Early guidance from Johann Gottfried Quistorp, who emphasized outdoor sketching, nurtured Friedrich’s engagement with nature as a spiritual and artistic resource.

The young painter continued his studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen, where he refined his draftsmanship by copying classical casts and exploring the subtle power of light in Dutch landscape paintings. His instructors, drawing inspiration from Sturm und Drang, helped steer him beyond conventional approaches, prompting him to develop an introspective vision of nature. This period sowed the seeds of an aesthetic that would challenge the norms of traditional compositions and champion a heightened mood in landscape art.

After settling in Dresden in 1798, Friedrich ventured into printmaking, producing etchings and woodcut designs - though only in small runs. Gradually, he devoted himself to ink, watercolor, and sepia, focusing on the intricacies of atmosphere. He traveled to coastal and mountainous regions, quietly studying and recording phenomena such as morning mists and deep shadowed forests. These sketches and notes served as reference material for future paintings, in which measured observation mingled with an emerging emphasis on metaphysical reflection.

His vision earned attention when he submitted two sepia drawings to a Weimar competition in 1805. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, then overseeing the event, responded with uncharacteristic enthusiasm, recognizing qualities of solitude and sincerity in Friedrich’s work. Those who encountered it spoke of an artist who had uncovered a “tragedy of landscape” - a phrase that caught on, though it underscored the poignancy of Friedrich’s approach more than any unremitting gloom.

His early masterpiece, the altarpiece known as Cross in the Mountains (or Tetschen Altar), presented a striking treatment of the Christian crucifixion scene within the isolation of a mountainous landscape. The composition stirred controversy when critics objected to a religious scene framed so distinctly by natural surroundings. Friedrich defended his intentions, insisting that spiritual presence can be conveyed through precise observation of the natural world. This debate, although personally draining, elevated his profile beyond Dresden, and soon the Prussian Crown Prince took notice, purchasing two of his paintings and sealing Friedrich’s election to the Berlin Academy.

In 1818, he married Caroline Bommer, whose presence seemed to soften some of his artistic severity. Scenes painted shortly after their union display a gentler palette and occasionally feature human figures in closer communion with nature. Despite such personal uplift, Friedrich received no full professorship, possibly due to political mistrust of his nationalistic leanings. His patriotism often surfaced in landscapes reflecting German folklore and a resolute sense of cultural identity.

Later years brought diminished demand for his contemplative vistas as public taste swung toward the energy of modernization. Friedrich suffered a stroke in 1835 that impaired his ability to paint in oils. Yet he adapted, turning to watercolors and smaller compositions that still conveyed the quiet resonance of his earlier views. A few dedicated patrons, including the Russian royal family and the poet Vasily Zhukovsky, continued to support him, but overall he lived in modest circumstances.

When Friedrich died in Dresden on 7 May 1840, his passing attracted limited attention in an art world increasingly captivated by new movements. However, with time, his reputation underwent a steady revival. Contemporary viewers began to see the depth in his carefully measured skies and the hushed power of his ruined abbeys, barren trees, and moonlit shores. By interrogating the relationship between natural observation and spiritual enquiry, his paintings offered a profound commentary on solitude, mortality, and reverence. Today, his legacy stands as a defining contribution to the German Romantic movement, reminding us that nature, in its stillness, can speak as powerfully as any classical allegory or heroic tableau.

105 Caspar David Friedrich Paintings

Caroline on the Stairs, 1825 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Caroline on the Stairs 1825

Oil Painting
$1007
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11557
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 73.6 x 52 cm
Private Collection

Snow Covered Hill with Ravens, n.d. by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Snow Covered Hill with Ravens n.d.

Oil Painting
$700
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11558
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 21.5 x 28.8 cm
Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Nuremberg, Germany

Mountainous Landscape, n.d. by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Mountainous Landscape n.d.

Oil Painting
$624
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11559
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 35 x 48.8 cm
Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany

Evening, n.d. by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Evening n.d.

Oil Painting
$675
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11560
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: unknown
Private Collection

Dreamer, c.1835 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Dreamer c.1835

Oil Painting
$697
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11561
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 27 x 21 cm
The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia

Morning in the Mountains, c.1823 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Morning in the Mountains c.1823

Oil Painting
$1355
SKU: FCD-11562
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 135 x 170 cm
The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia

Night in a Harbour, c.1818/20 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Night in a Harbour c.1818/20

Oil Painting
$1264
SKU: FCD-11563
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 74 x 52 cm
The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia

Two Men Contemplating the Moon, c.1825/30 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Two Men Contemplating the Moon c.1825/30

Oil Painting
$904
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11564
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 34.9 x 43.8 cm
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Riesengebirge Landscape with Rising Fog, c.1819/20 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Riesengebirge Landscape with Rising Fog c.1819/20

Oil Painting
$1211
Canvas Print
$64.16
SKU: FCD-11565
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 54.9 x 70.4 cm
Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany

Fir Trees in the Snow, c.1828 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Fir Trees in the Snow c.1828

Oil Painting
$857
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11566
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 31.3 x 25.4 cm
Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany

Mountain Peak with Drifting Clouds, c.1835 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Mountain Peak with Drifting Clouds c.1835

Oil Painting
$947
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11567
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 25 x 30.6 cm
Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, USA

The Evergreens by the Waterfall, n.d. by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

The Evergreens by the Waterfall n.d.

Oil Painting
$1080
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11568
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 44.2 x 34.8 cm
Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany

The Woman with the Candlestick, 1825 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

The Woman with the Candlestick 1825

Oil Painting
$947
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11569
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 71 x 49 cm
Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany

Ship in the Polar Sea, 1798 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Ship in the Polar Sea 1798

Oil Painting
$788
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11570
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 29.6 x 21.9 cm
Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany

Early Snow, c.1828 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Early Snow c.1828

Oil Painting
$1130
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11571
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 43.8 x 34.5 cm
Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany

Ploughed Field, c.1830 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Ploughed Field c.1830

Oil Painting
$893
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11572
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 34.6 x 47.6 cm
Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany

Graves of Ancient Heroes, 1812 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Graves of Ancient Heroes 1812

Oil Painting
$1341
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11573
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 49.5 x 70.5 cm
Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany

Landscape with Grave, Coffin and Owl, n.d. by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Landscape with Grave, Coffin and Owl n.d.

Paper Art Print
$51.92
SKU: FCD-11574
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 38.5 x 38.3 cm
Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany

Winter (Eldena Abbey near Greitswald), n.d. by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Winter (Eldena Abbey near Greitswald) n.d.

Paper Art Print
$51.92
SKU: FCD-11575
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 19.3 x 27.6 cm
Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany

Emilias Kilde, 1797 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Emilias Kilde 1797

Paper Art Print
$51.92
SKU: FCD-11576
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 21.8 x 16.7 cm
Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg, Germany

Cross in the Mountains, c.1815/20 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Cross in the Mountains c.1815/20

Oil Painting
$1382
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11577
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 127 x 71.7 cm
Schlossmuseum Schloss Friedenstein, Gotha, Germany

Woman at a Window, 1822 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Woman at a Window 1822

Oil Painting
$1064
Canvas Print
$58.31
SKU: FCD-11578
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 73 x 44 cm
Gemaldegalerie, Berlin, Germany

Abbey among Oak Trees, c.1809/10 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Abbey among Oak Trees c.1809/10

Oil Painting
$1334
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11579
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 110.4 x 171 cm
Gemaldegalerie, Berlin, Germany

Snowy Hut, c.1827 by Caspar David Friedrich | Painting Reproduction

Snowy Hut c.1827

Oil Painting
$975
Canvas Print
$54.40
SKU: FCD-11580
Caspar David Friedrich
Original Size: 31 x 25 cm
Gemaldegalerie, Berlin, Germany

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