Caspar David Friedrich und his birthplace

It was in 1774 at Greifswald that Caspar David Friedrich first saw the light of day being the sixth child of the soap and candle maker Adolf Gottlieb Friedrich. The university art teacher Johann Gottfried Quistorp was the first to instruct him in the methods of painting.

Following his advice Friedrich enrolled at the Art Academy at Copenhagen in 1794. 4 years later he returned to Greifswald, but in autumn of the same year he finally settled at Dresden and set up his studio there. In 1840 Caspar David Friedrich died and was buried at Trinitatis Cemetery at Dresden.

Friedrich left Dresden several times to see his family and his home town of Greifswald. Visits in 1801-1802, 1806, 1809, 1815, 1818 and 1826 can be proved. During his visit in 1818 Friedrich created a watercolour painting of Greifswald´s market square, which today is exhibited at the Art Gallery of the Pomeranian State Museum.

the ruins of Eldena

In the Art Gallery there is also an oil painting by Friedrich called Ruine Eldena im Riesengebirge (Ruins of Eldena in the Sudeten Mountains), which was drawn about 1830. Referring to this masterpiece his painting style can be described briefly:

Capar David Friedrich, the co-founder of Romanticism painting in Germany, was not a portraitist, but a landscape painter. Persons do appear often in his pictures, but in many cases Friedrich depicts them only as small back figures. They are added as one of many components to his painted system of nature playing a more or less important, often a contemplative part. However, the landscape painter Friedrich did not give a precise representation of what he saw in nature. His paintings appear idealistic and dreamy. Not seldom they are a mixture of two or more motifs from different places.
These features are also discernible in his work "Ruine Eldena im Riesengebirge" (Ruins of Eldena in the Sudeten Mountains): This painting is pure fiction, for the Ruins of Eldena are not located in the Sudeten Mountains, but in a suburb of Greifswald. In fact Friedrich used impressions from his home town and from a journey across the Sudeten Mountains to create an idealistic landscape.
The ruins and the clouds shined from below point to further important elements in his works: Rise and decline, dawn and dusk combined with religious depth are often picked out as a central theme. Drawing paintings Friedrich intended to create works that do not only offer pure viewing pleasure, but also are able to generate profound moods.

the outline of Greifswald

Different moods are also generated by two oil paintings by Friedrich showing the outline of his home town of Greifswald in the background. "Wiesen bei Greifswald" (Meadows near Greifswald) appears lively and almost cheerful regarding the playful horses in the middleground. On the other hand the darkness of "Greifswald bei Mondschein" (Greifswald by Moonlight) causes a nearly demonic mood. Apart from that his home town seems distant because spread out fishing nets in the middleground form an insurmountable barrier.

The view of the outline of Greifswald, as it was seen by Friedrich, has not changed much since then, for the town has not expanded into northern and western direction. Today this view is even classified as a historical monument and is called

Caspar David Friedrich View.

Anyone arriving from Grimmen or Stralsund will already see the ancient outline of Greifswald from a distance and will be consciously or unconsciously confronted with a chapter of art history.

Unfortunately the house at Lange Straße, in which Caspar David Friedrich was born, burnt down in 1901. Today only a commemorative plaque fixed to the later house points out that Greifswald´s most famous son first saw the light of day in this very place.

inscription on the workshop of Friedrich´s family

The building at the back once housed the workshop of Friedrich´s family in which soap and candles were made. A large inscription on this brick building will not let you fail to notice it. Another inscription on the windows will also arouse your interest. It points out that the former workshop is used today as a small museum called Caspar David Friedrich Centre.

inscription on the windows

Next to the workshop you will enjoy seeing a copy of Moonrise on the Sea which was painted on a wall in 1998. Apart from this one there is another mural at Greifswald alluding to Friedrich. The right part of a painting at a building at Stralsunder Straße is a more or less exact copy of Stages of Life.

mural at Stralsunder Straße

Looking at the workshop and at "Moonrise on the Sea" you will already find yourself being shaded by the tower of St Nicholas´ Church where Friedrich was baptized in 1774. Most parts of the nave´s furnishing were later made by his brother and master joiner Christian Friedrich.

At the market square the building numbered 10 housing today a bank should also arouse your interest. 200 years ago it was the residence of Caspar´s brother Heinrich. Looking out of this house during his stay at Greifswald in 1818, Friedrich created a famous watercolour painting of the market square. When you compare today´s view of the square with the painting you will notice some obvious changes in its appearance:

2004 1818

From the market square it is only a few steps to the art gallery of the Pomeranian State Museum: The Ruins of Eldena in the Sudeten Mountains, the watercolour painting of Greifswald´s market square and other works of the famous painter are exhibited there.

To finish a Friedrich discovery expedition having a look both at the monastery ruins in the suburb of Eldena and the Bay of Greifswald (at dawn or at dusk) is to be strongly recommended...

"Moonrise on the Sea"

St Nicholas´ Church

Click here to see a series of photos about Friedrich and Greifswald.

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Caspar David Friedrich and his home town of Greifswald