Chalk Cliffs on Rügen 1819

"Chalk Cliffs on Rügen" (1819) by Caspar David Friedrich showcases the Romantic artist’s signature style of landscape painting. The towering white cliffs of the German island of Rügen are framed by trees, with a glimpse of a vast, misty sea in the distance. The figures gazing out at the scene add a sense of human contemplation to the painting, placing emphasis on the sublime power of nature. This is a work of Romanticism, and exemplifies the movement's interest in the emotional power of nature, which is considered a force of grandeur and mystery.