When and where was Caspar David Friedrich born?
Caspar David Friedrich was born on the 5th of September 1774 in Greifswald on the Baltic coast. He grew up as the sixth child among ten siblings in a household marked by early death.
Questions about Caspar David Friedrich
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What childhood tragedy influenced the art of Caspar David Friedrich?
The brother Johann Christoffer drowned when he fell through ice while trying to rescue young Caspar David Friedrich at age thirteen. This event haunted him throughout his life and became a recurring motif of frozen water in his paintings.
Which painting did Caspar David Friedrich complete in 1808 that received wide publicity?
Caspar David Friedrich completed Cross in the Mountains known today as the Tetschen Altar in 1808. The panel depicts a cross in profile atop a mountain surrounded by pine trees alone.
How did politics affect the career of Caspar David Friedrich during the Napoleonic Wars?
Politics stalled the career of Caspar David Friedrich because Saxon government pro-French attitudes clashed with his Germanic subjects. He sought distance from Prussian authority applying for Saxon citizenship in June 1816.
When and where did Caspar David Friedrich die?
Caspar David Friedrich died in Dresden on the 7th of May 1840. He was buried in Trinitatis-Friedhof Trinity Cemetery east city centre entrance painted Cemetery Entrance 1825.