Student Art Analysis Paper

The Curious Wanderer

By, Alex Stuessi

“I must stay alone and know that I am alone to contemplate and feel nature in full; I have to surrender myself to what encircles me, I have to merge with my clouds and rocks in order to be what I am” (www.wikiquote.org). In Caspar Friedrich’s Wanderer Above The Sea Fog, he illustrates that solitude is indispensable in finding one's self through nature by creating a lovely, vast escape of land through his use of colors, and perspective. This painting was created in the wake of the “Romantic Movement in 1880 when art ideals were being changed”; along with Friedrich’s other works, Wanderer Above The Sea Fog captures an intense and emotional focus on nature. (www.wiki.org). By looking at the atmospheric perspective, contrasting colors, and the realistic elements in Caspar Friedrich’s Wanderer Above The Sea Fog, the painting’s message that one must be alone to contemplate, discover, and perceive the value wilderness emerges.

EXCELLENT OPENER, BRIDGE, PLAN AND THESIS.

In Friedrich’s painting, the atmospheric perspective conveys a sense of infinity that leads one to believe that there is more. (TOPIC SENTENCE) To understand the artist’s meaning of a painting it is helpful to look towards the given perspective. (LINKING SENTENCE) Friedrich’s technique of showcasing perspective leads the viewer not only to believe that there is depth and an “infinite” aspect to the painting, but it also gives us insight on what the man in the painting is seeing. By letting the viewer explore the vast escape of land that the man is seeing, rather than focus on the man entirely, Friedrich gives us a first hand view of what the man is seeing and what intense emotions accompany his vast perspective. (CONCRETE DETAIL) By gazing upon this painting and imagining it in real-life form, there is a sense of awe and fascination that accompanies it. This is important because it is these emotions that lead the viewer to contemplate the seemingly infinite in nature, the enduring power intrinsic to immense natural forms like mountains and the hidden sea, and the presence of divine intentions in the vast scene. (CONNECT TO THESIS ANALYSIS)

- GOOD ANALYSIS AND FOCUS ON THE CONTEMPLATION OF INFINITY.

By exploring the idea that atmospheric perspective expresses a sense of infinity, the author PAINTER ALSO then uses DEVELOPS contrasting colors to reveal the jagged sea rocks and mountains which opens up a whole new door of discovery. The jagged sea rocks may be a metaphor for something that is emerging, but not yet fully developed. This could be linked to the man’s thoughts, and how he may have discovered part of nature’s attributes, ---------------5----------------there is still much more that is masked from view. Friedrich mixes warm, light colors muted tones of blue to focus the viewer’s sight on what lays below the sea fog. This could be a representation that there are more good things to come, but they just haven’t been uncovered yet. The way Friedrich mixes and blends color leads the viewer to recall the hidden landscape and the wonder that travels with it.

EXCELLENT TRANSITIONAL TOPIC SENTENCE AND ANALYSIS ON THE WARM COLORS REPRESENTING HOPE.

In addition to using contrasting colors to evoke a sense of discovery, Friedrich’s painting also emphasizes realism through his piece of art. GOOD TTS. The man in the painting appears to be alone, and by his almost contemplative stance, one could argue, he is taking in every aspect of what he sees. By using realism to arouse the human aspect of the painting, the viewer can fully comprehend what the man is seeing. Awe, curiosity, and discovery are all human emotions that because of the painting’s realism, can come to life. Had Friedrich decided to paint the landscape in fluorescent colors, or had given the man wings, there would have been a much different effect. It is from this realism that captures the emotional focus on nature AND NATURE’S POWER TO EVOKE REAL EMOTIONS OF AWE.

Friedrich uses atmospheric perspective, contrasting color, and depiction of nature in a realistic manner to convey the lonesomeness that comes with contemplation and discovery of nature. Caspar Friedrich reminds us that there is something good that can come out of being alone, and that it is actually a necessary part of life. People generally relate solitude to unhappiness, but by exploring Friedrich’s ideas, people can shift their perspective and see the good in being solitary. As Caspar Friedrich would say, “I must stay alone and know that I am alone to contemplate and feel nature in full” (www.wikiquote.org).

---

REALLY WELL DONE. YOUR THESIS IS STRONG AND ALL OF YOUR ANALYSIS CONNECTS TO HOW THE PAINTING ADVOCATES FOR SOLITARY MOMENT IN WILDERNESS.

YOU HAVE MASTERED THE FUNDAMENTAL COMMONALITIES OF THE INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS PARAGRAPH WRITING.

YOUR TRANSITIONAL TOPIC SENTENCES AND CONCLUSION ARE EXCELLENT.

A