Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog

The German artist, Caspar David Friedrich, painted Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog in 1818. In Germany at that time era, the Industrial Revolution had just begun, and the many practical benefits that accompanied it caused science to have an ever-greater impact on European life. They believed that with the scientific method, everything was explainable and eventually, achievable (Duiker and Spielvogel 536). It was not until this time period that people attempted to use machines to replace human labors. As a Romantic artist, Friedrich wanted to remind people that in front of almighty nature, human beings still have much to learn and fear and more importantly, science cannot control nature. He disliked the fact that people were trying to conquer nature with science and wanted them to remember their own souls – the initial intimate relationship with the natural world.

In this painting, a well dressed upper-class-man is standing on the summit of a mountain with a walking stick. As the central figure of the painting, he has his back facing the audience. This unusual perspective set up by Friedrich creates a sense of pride within this human being who has just arrived upon the peak of a mountain. Considering the fact that the Industrial Revolution had just begun and Friedrich was a Romantic artist, it is evident that this central figure represents the people who became intoxicated in science and believed they could conquer nature. However, from the direction of where he is looking at, there are boundless mountains in front of him and thus delivers the message that what this man has yet to accomplish is limitless. Additionally, the fog surrounding the mountains adds a sense of mystery and unknown to the painting. After all, Friedrich painted this art work to counter the Industrial revolution, to awaken those who are too intoxicated in the practical benefits of science and more importantly, to remind people of the divinity of the natural world. However, he also inevitably reflected the enterprising spirit of the Germans at his time period: science and the industry rule because they bring practical benefits.