Wanderer above the Sea of Fog by Friedrich - Charlie

This quintessential Romantic painting by Caspar David Friedrich (created in 1818) is an oil painting depicting a young man standing on rocks at the top of a mountain, gazing upon a sea of fog. He is wearing a dark green coat and is grasping a walking stick. Through the fog, forests can be seen and in the distance, there are mountains. The mountains are based off ones Friedrich saw in Saxony and Bohemia. It is similar to Friedrich's other works, like Chalk Cliffs on Rügen and The Sea of Ice. It is a Romantic painting as it conveys the unlimited potential and possibilities of man, and the mysteriousness of nature. The fog represents the unknown for man to explore and discover, while also representing nature's mysteries. A popular Romantic theme is depicted, which is man's greatness is contrasted with the power and sublimity of nature. This theme is shown in that the young man has climbed to the top of the mountain (conquering much), only to find that there are a number of vistas still out there, covered in a fog that hides what lies beyond (there is so much undiscovered and there are always going to be new things to explore). Friedrich's masterpiece currently resides in Hamburg, Germany.