Caspar David Friedrich

by Werner Hofmann

"Splendid monograph, the first of major proportions in nearly thirty years .ever thoughtful, opening the door to Friedrich's world that much wider."Chicago Tribune


Werner Hofmann vividly demonstrates Caspar David Friedrich's extraordinary ability to reproduce the natural world in faithful detail, while at the same time imbuing it with spiritual and religious significance. Caught between the near and the distant, the finite and the infinite, his human figures find a space in which to engage in the thoughtful contemplation of nature and the divine.


Carefully placing the artist in a wider context, Hofmann examines contemporary judgments and influences on Friedrich's work. The beautiful illustrations include many of Friedrich's drawings and watercolors as well as over ninety of his works in oils. 193 illustrations, 150 in color.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction

299 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[E. G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Introduction: The Painter and The Zeitgeist

--Caspar David Friedrich

Appendices:
I Friedrich and Jens Juel
II Rear-view figures
III The 'emptiness' of Friedrich and the 'fullness' of his contemporaries
IV The 'emptiness' of Friedrich and the 'fullness' of didacticism

Letters and Writings:
Letters
From Friedrich's journal (1803)
Writings on Friedrich's Work

Chronology
Bibliography
List of Illustrations
Works by Other Artists
Index
Photo Credits

[Yuki · Rating 4 out of 5]

On my last visit to Hamburg's Kunsthalle, I was enthralled by the oil painting "Wanderer above the Sea of Fog" ("Wanderer uber dem Nebelmeer"). It is powerful, yet pure and serene to me. It's quite entertaining to read different analyses. I have a copy in my apartment and it's fascinating to see who reacts to it, and how (like a Rorschach test!)

[Christopher Louderback · Rating 5 out of 5]

Visually and textually stunning. It made me want to keep digging into the life of Friedrich, and I love a book that makes me want more!

[Greet De Haes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Er zijn verschillende paragrafen in andere talen, voornamelijk Duits, die niet vertaalt worden en waar er geen samenvatting van wordt gegeven.

Dit is de enige reden waarom het boek geen vijf sterren van mij krijgt.