Autumnsong: Travel Log | Berlin Day 3 - Caspar David Friedrich: Imortal Landscapes at the Nationalgalerie (National Gallery)

I left the national gallery to the end, primarily because it was a full day and this was the only museum that was open late (until 20:00h) that day. However, as it turns out, only certain parts of the museum (about two-thirds) were open past 18:00, so I couldn't explore it as fully as I would have wished. Additionally, the place was packed because of the special Caspar David Friedrich: Infinite landscapes exhibit, so I had to wait in line before going in despite having the museum pass in advance. All things considered, it could have gone better. Still, I really enjoyed my visit.

Portrait of the Artist Caspar David Friedrich, by Caroline Bardua.

The entire top floor of the museum was devoted to this temporary exhibition, and there was much to enjoy about it. For starters. Caspar Friedrich is perhaps the most important German painter of his time, and I always appreciate seeing the best there is to see of the art from the place where I am. In other words, seeing the paintings of a renowned German painter in Berlin is special, and I appreciated that. The New yorker once called him "the man who could paint loneliness", and this alone says something about why his art speaks to me.

That being said, there were two major downsides to this exhibition. First, it was way too crowded, to the point of being uncomfortable. Not at all an environment conducive to admiring fine art. Second, his most well known painting - and the one I wanted to see the most, Wanderer above the sea of fog - was not on display (apparently it lives in Hamburg and they were doing their own Caspar Friedrich thing)

Oak tree in snow, Caspar David Friedrich. The first time I visited the museum of art of Sao Paulo was before they restore the transparent stands (2008, I think, on a school trip), and the museum looked more like this: paintings hanging on a solid colour background, lit by focused light. I wouldn't wish the MASP to go back, because it's aspect is so unique, but I do love this classic style.

Cabin in the snow, Caspar David Friedrich. Despite all the hours of Europe I have been logging on lately, I am yet to see snow like this. I would like to take a brief holiday in a place like Iceland to see this sometime, though I don't believe that is a trip I wish to do alone, at least not right now.

Forest in late autumn, by Caspar David Friedrich. Isn't this the perfect fairy tale setting?

I remember an exhibition once (maybe in Rio de Janeiro) that explained that there used to be a hierarchy of paintings from the lowest to the most important (and therefore more handsomely compensated). Still lifes were at the bottom of this food chain, followed by landscapes, behind portraits and mythological scenes. Caspar David Friedrich favored landscapes, it seems, montains and forests being frequent subjects of his art.

Forest interior by moonlight, by Caspar Devid Friedrich

Cathedral, by Caspar Devid Friedrich


*Cross in the Mountains, by Caspar Devid Friedrich.* According to the explanatory text, Caspar David used evergreens to symbolize hope somehow. I don't see it. This image seems haunting and scary, and this is not a place I would ever wish to visit, especially on my own. There is a sense that being there one would be frozen, unable to ever leave.

The Sea of Ice, by Caspar David Friedrich. It could be a Magic card, could it not?

Although the focus of the exhibition were his landscapes, some of the paintings depicted human figures (including the certerpiece, Monk by the sea, below). People together and people alone. What else is there?

Two Men Contemplating the Moon, by Caspar David Friedrich. This one made me think of Lestat taking Louis to see his last sunset.

Moonrise over the sea, by Caspar David Friedrich.

This piece, inspired by moonrise over the sea, is my Hiroyuki Masuyama. It is a LED lightbox combining multiple photographs, not a painting.

Some of Caspar David's underdrawings, obtained through reflectophotography were on display at this exhibition. I had never see the X-ray of a painting before, so this wasn't without interest, but it would have been better to place them in the same room as the originals I think. Also, on this session there was some text sying that he likely used a prominent textbook on painting named Die durch Theorie erfundene Practic. Should I ever become interested in learning how to paint, this is something I should probably look up in the future.

Underdrawing of Monk by the Sea, by Caspar Friederich

The Original


Underdrawing of the Abbey in the Oakwood, by Caspar David Friendrich

The original

A copy by an unknown artist. I really like the copy, I have to say. Perhaps more than the original.

The exhibition featured paintings by other artists as well. I particularly enjoyed the paintings of artists in their studio - something I always enjoy whenever it appears in museums it seems...