Klosterruine Eldena Abbey Analysis

Caspar David Friedrich was a key artist in German Romanticism, and his works remain embedded in the art movement’s history. Klosterruine Eldena is a landscape painting done circa 1825 and is one of his many artworks that features his interpretation of the Eldena Abbey. Following the themes of his various other works, the painting depicts the abbey in a manner that is almost hauntingly beautiful. The ruins of the monastery stands tall despite being engulfed in the surrounding greenery. Although vibrant colors and the bright lighting are used, an ominous mood still prevails upon first look at Friedrich’s work. In this essay, I will be discussing Friedrich’s use of light, color, and how it sends an underlying message about the state of nature …show more content…
By using warmer, lighter colors within the center of the painting, it is clear that the main light source shines directly onto the clearing of the abbey. In doing so, the Eldena Abbey is much more prominent then it would be without the lighting. The emphasis on the abbey and it’s surrounding greenery presents the Romantic idea of God and nature being one. The trees included in the painting consume the abbey in a manner that implies that nature will eventually overcome the structures placed by humanity. However, with the values of Romanticism in mind, this detail can be interpreted as the unity of religion and …show more content…
The movement of the painting flows upward, starting from the brightened center and moving up to the top of the abbey. The upper section of the image also includes the treetops of the surrounding greenery, and it can be noticed that branches of these trees align with the intersections created by the rule-of-thirds. The intersections serve as areas of focus, and it can be seen that the branches on the left are full of life whereas those on the right are bare. Accordingly, less of the abbey is seen on the left as it is obstructed by the greenery, while more structures are apparent on the right. Going from left to right is the usual process of progress, and the inclusion of this detail implies that as humanity progresses, we are losing touch with nature. In the time period of the Romantic art movement, romanticists wanted to return to the original state of nature. However, due to Enlightened thinking, more people focused on order and reason. The structure of the abbey existing amongst the bare trees contrasting with the abundant life on the left portrays the Romantic value against this