Wanderer Above the Sea of Mist

A central feature that was evident during the Romanticism Age was the unpredictability and random profusion of nature.  This photo clearly depicts the overwhelming power of nature.  The "Wanderer" appears to be standing on some jagged rocks that are protruding out of the ground while peering off into the distance at a vast stretch of mountains.  Unfortunately, more jagged rocks and deep valleys separate him from this beautiful mountain range.  In this photo Casper David Freidrich is portraying the significant power of nature, and most importantly, man's insignificance in comparison to nature.  The "Wanderer's" inability to reach the mountains demonstrates the Romantic ideal that relates to the power and fury of nature.  Despite the intelligence and the brawn of man nature is still able to defeat him, hypothetically.  The Wanderer Above the Sea of Mist is very similar to Freidrich's other photo of a man leaning against the fence looking out into the horizon.  Both pictures put an emphasis on the importance of the sky.  Also, the emphasis on the sky demonstrates a larger perspective then what one may have seen in photos during the Enlightenment.  The larger perspective used in this photo is another factor that affects the significance of the man in comparison to nature.  

Due to the French Revolution there was a growth of nationalism among the people in Europe.  The increased emphasis on individual thoughts and feelings is clearly portrayed in this photo.  Instead of showing a family of people like one may have seen during the Enlightenment, this photo is of only one man.  The presence of only trees and mountains for as far as the eye can see also supports the Romantic ideal of the rise of the individual.  The man in this photo is completely alienated from any form of society.  Freidrich gave the "Wanderer" a very noble and proud pose thus demonstrating the heightened amount of pride in oneself and country.  Coupled with the feelings of pride that the man reveals in this photo, the man, sky, mountains, and mist suggest that it is an ominous place.  Since the man is not facing forward it creates a mysterious feel to the meaning of the picture.  What is the man thinking?  Why is he standing on the edge of a cliff?  The use of darker colors also gives the photo a feeling uncertainty and gloom.  The dark and gloomy feel of this photo suggest that Freidrich received some of his inspiration from the "Gothic" Middle Age.