After the Storm by Caspar David Friedrich

After the Storm 1817

oil-paint

landscape

charcoal drawing

oil painting

romanticism

history-painting

charcoal

watercolor

realism

Caspar David Friedrich's "After the Storm" (1817) depicts a wrecked ship half-submerged in the choppy waters of the Baltic Sea. The painting's somber palette and stark composition emphasize the power of nature and the fragility of human endeavors. The artist's signature romanticism, often explored in his seascapes, is apparent in the dramatic sky and the lone ship struggling against the turbulent waves. "After the Storm" is a powerful reminder of the awe-inspiring and sometimes unforgiving forces of the natural world, and has been interpreted by many as an allegory for the struggles of life. It is a prime example of German Romanticism and is part of the collection of the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst.

Comments

statensmuseumforkunst about 1 year ago

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A violent storm has brought a ship off course, smashing it onto the rocks. But perhaps the rocks are also its salvation, embedding it on firm ground. Friedrich grew up in Greifswald near the Baltic Sea, and he visited the nearby island of Rügen all his life. Here he observed the sky and sea in all weathers, and ships at sea was a recurring theme in his art, often symbolising the journey of life. Perhaps this scene shows the firm bedrock of faith saving the ship. The dramatic, finely nuanced depiction of the stormy sky testifies to how Friedrich, like many other European painters, was keenly interested in exploring cloud formations in various weather and lighting conditions. He has very carefully portrayed the sunlight piercing the clouds and details such as the gulls, the partially broken mast, the fluttering ropes and the rain falling out at sea.