NYC Gazette

Caspar David Friedrich, a pivotal figure in European landscape painting, is the focus of a new exhibition titled "Caspar David Friedrich: The Soul of Nature." Known for portraying nature as a setting for deep spiritual and emotional experiences, Friedrich was at the forefront of the German Romantic movement. His work emphasizes individual responses to the natural world through unique pictorial subjects and strategies.

This exhibition marks the first comprehensive showcase of Friedrich's work in the United States. It has been organized in cooperation with major institutions including the Alte Nationalgalerie of the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, and Hamburger Kunsthalle. Featuring around 75 works from over 30 lenders across Europe and North America, it includes oil paintings, finished drawings, and sketches from all phases of Friedrich’s career. These pieces demonstrate how he used landscape motifs to convey personal and existential meanings.

The exhibition also explores how Friedrich’s art reflects 19th-century German society's political and cultural dynamics. It highlights German Romanticism's influence on modern perceptions of nature.

A complementary display showcases artworks featuring lunar imagery in gallery 554. The moon was a favored motif among Romantic artists like Friedrich and appeared in various media such as paintings, porcelain, music, and poetry.

"Caspar David Friedrich: The Soul of Nature" is made possible by Marina Kellen French with additional support from various organizations including the Janice H. Levin Fund and Art Mentor Foundation Lucerne. Corporate sponsorship comes from Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe and Allianz X. An indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and Humanities supports this exhibition.

The accompanying catalogue receives funding from Wolfgang Ratjen Stiftung, Liechtenstein, and Drue E. Heinz Fund with further support from other foundations.