Caspar David Friedrich

The melancholy Friedrich is now recognised as one of the most significant artists of the romantic era. He studied with and was influenced by Abildgaard, his friend Lund a fellow-student. Schleiermacher, met in Greifswald, was another influence. Goethe, impressed by his freshness of vision, awarded him a prize (though he took against Friedrich’s later paintings). Runge enjoyed a close artistic relationship, especially for the 2 years that they both lived in Dresden, where Friedrich’s studio was a popular meeting-place for the likes of Kleist and Tieck. Dahl lived for years in Friedrich’s home, the two working and exhibiting together.