Caspar David Friedrich

Caspar David Friedrich (September 5, 1774 – May 7, 1840) was a 19th century German romantic painter. Many critics consider his work outstanding and consider him one of the most important German romantic painters.

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September 5 - 1774 - May 7 - 1840 - 19th century - German - Romantic

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Born in Greifswald, he studied at Copenhagen from 1794 to 1798. After leaving Copenhagen, he visited several scenic spots in Germany before choosing to live in Dresden. His famous painting "Mönch am Meer" (Monk at the Sea) impressed Karl Friedrich Schinkel (later Prussia's most famous classicist architect) so much that he gave up painting and took up architecture, much to the benefit of German and world architecture. Caspar David Friedrich died in Dresden, Saxony.

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Greifswald - Copenhagen - 1794 - 1798 - Dresden - Karl Friedrich Schinkel - Prussia - Classicist - Architecture - Saxony

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His paintings portray the untamed power of nature; this is in sharp contrast to Enlightenment-era painters such as Thomas Gainsborough, who used nature to bring out qualities in their human subjects.

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Enlightenment-era - Thomas Gainsborough

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Friedrich's style influenced the painting of the Norwegian Johann Christian Dahl and perhaps also the painters of the American Hudson River School, the Rocky Mountain School, and the New England Luminists.

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Johann Christian Dahl - Hudson River School - Rocky Mountain School - New England Luminists

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