Caspar David Friedrich
This motif is available free of charge as collectable postcard at hosts and information points along this second stage of the Malerweg trail.
Caspar David Friedrich (born September 5th, 1774 in Greifswald; died May 7th, 1840 in Dresden), is probably the most important artist of German Romanticism.
He found inspiration for some of his symbolic landscape depictions during his walks in Saxon and Bohemian Switzerland and in the Riesengebirge (Giant Mountains).
Many of his paintings deal with issues such as loneliness, eternity and decay; others can be understood as allegoric parables of political events of his time.
The oil painting “Rocky Ravine” from 1823 features the impressive cliffs of Neurathen Rock Gates and symbolically expresses sublimity and unfathomable mystery with aspects of menace and destruction.
Malerweg trail – Second stage:
These are the places where artists painted:
Bastei: The Bastei area with its particularly impressive scenery has always provided an abundance of picturesque motifs for artists. Caspar David Friedrich, too, immortalized them in some of his works.
Kurort Rathen: 200 years ago, a rather adventurous and strenuous uphill trail with over 487 steps via Vogeltelle Gorge led to the Bastei Rock. There are a number of impressive art works of this area.
Amselgrund Gorge: The Amselgrund Waterfall had been a tourist attraction of particular interest since the 19th century. Even today, for a small fee, people can watch the artificially dammed waterfall (Amselfall) in operation.
Wehlgrund Gorge: Wehlgrund is a lateral ravine of the Amselgrund Gorge. It is dominated by an impressive rock formation called “Kleine Gans” (“Small Goose”) which has often been shown on drawings, for instance by Johann Christian Clausen Dahl.
