"Splendid monograph, the first of major proportions in nearly thirty years .ever thoughtful, opening the door to Friedrich's world that much wider."Chicago Tribune
Werner Hofmann vividly demonstrates Caspar David Friedrich's extraordinary ability to reproduce the natural world in faithful detail, while at the same time imbuing it with spiritual and religious significance. Caught between the near and the distant, the finite and the infinite, his human figures find a space in which to engage in the thoughtful contemplation of nature and the divine.
Carefully placing the artist in a wider context, Hofmann examines contemporary judgments and influences on Friedrich's work. The beautiful illustrations include many of Friedrich's drawings and watercolors as well as over ninety of his works in oils. 193 illustrations, 150 in color.
Reading through this well laid out book I was constantly amazed by how many incredible works that Caspar David Friedrich painted. Each picture just made me astonished at the beautiful landscapes. Thoroughly recommend this book for anyone interested in art.
I agree with "A reader": This book is sublime.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
This should be considered indispensable to anyone interested in this artist, Romanticism, or landscape painting in general. As well as offering a carefully considered account of the artist's life and work, the text is careful to separate the myths that have grown around some of these paintings, carefully placing the artist within the context of his own time and covering the manner in which these images have been misappropriated up to the present day. Above all, this is the most thorough and best-reproduced representation of this artist's work I have seen to date, containing not only every single painting I have seen from other studies of the artist, but also several I encountered here for the first time. I doubt this will be equalled (let alone surpassed) for many years to come.
Sublime
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 23 years ago
Werner Hofmann's new monograph on Caspar David Friedrich benefits from superb colour reproductions as well as Hofmann's own discursive brilliance.Selections from Friedrich's letters are a neat fit, bowing to the idea that his transcendental painting ultimately eludes scholarly discourse.This book lands with authority, passion, and a keen sense of the vistas of silence that Friedrich communicates to admirers everywhere.A bargain. Snap it up if you come across it...
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