![]() It’s possible the success of Inception led to the poster style being recreated by other designers who weren’t even aware of the painting at all. Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog’s composition on the other hand, was used so often it seemed to be the industry standard for advertising disaster and sci-fi films. There are plenty of other examples, but typically they are just one-offs directly inspired by the art due to some aspect of the plot. Movie posters finding inspiration in famous artwork is not uncommon: Midnight in Paris directly borrows out of Starry Night, and Scream was inspired by, well the obvious. In the posters, we see a world likely ruined by man and there's no beauty to be had. In this painting, the implication is that the natural landscape we see is untouched by man and that is part of its beauty. The posters on the other hand invite you to wonder how the heck the protagonist will overcome such overwhelming odds so you'll purchase a ticket to get your answer. Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog gives a sense of wonder, an awe of experiencing nature in solitude. While the composition was borrowed, the intent was ignored. Star Trek into Darkness and Inception are just two examples of the posters inspired by this painting. It was a simple formula: a tiny silhouette of a man’s back amidst a gigantic apocalyptic wasteland. Perhaps because it is considered to be one of the Romantics period’s masterpieces or more likely it reminds you of that time around 2013 when all movie posters started to look the exact same. He is emblematic of the journey toward self-discovery, which is, after all, is at the root of identity.Even if you’ve never laid eyes on Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog before, it likely feels familiar. The painter himself stands on the rocky outcropping lost, we presume by the stance, in melancholic thought induced by the wild and shrouded landscape. The figure is not a random person plucked from obscurity it happens to be Friedrich himself. While not concerned the figure’s identity, Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog nonetheless delves into the notion of identity, at least in the way the Romantics might have pondered it. At the time, a mountain pinnacle such as the one depicted in Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog would have been ideal, for it was as far away from human civilization as any European could reasonably get. The solitude of remote locales became the optimal environment in which to experience the true physical and spiritual isolation, necessary in itself to emotional depth and a deep understanding of the self. The Romantics believed in the transformative power of the untrammeled landscape. ![]() Partially as a reaction to the growing industrialization in Europe, the Romantic movement wound itself around the idea that strong emotion-including shock, horror, fear, awe-and sensitivity was a necessary and desired part of the aesthetic experience. The French sculptor David d’Angers reputedly observed of Friedrich: “Here is a man who has discovered the tragedy of landscape.” Thus he perfectly summed up the Romantic’s notion of the natural world. Working at the height of German Romanticism, Friedrich’s paintings referenced nature, not only as the antithesis to human civilization, but as the conduit to experience our deeper selves. He’s largely there as a symbolic reminder that this untamed landscape is the vehicle by which we humans experience heightened emotion. The “wanderer” deliberately turns his backside to us, assuming the stance of contemplation. Nor is he the variety of puny figure found in some landscapes, who are present mostly to demonstrate the monumental scale of the natural world. The figure in Caspar David Friedrich’s landscape does not greet us or proudly point the way to the majestic landscape behind him. It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter lies in the depth, where few are willing to search for it.Ĭaspar David Friedrich, Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog, ca. Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of posts on portraits featuring sitters’ backsides. ![]()
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