250 Years of Caspar David Friedrich

Caspar David Friedrich. Where it all started. SKD

The Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (SKD) is dedicating an exhibition to the artist Caspar David Friedrich on the occasion of his 250th birthday at two locations, the Albertinum and the Kupferstich-Kabinett. The exhibition showcases a collection of the artist's works, including paintings, drawings, and prints. In Dresden, this will be the highlight and final chord of an eventful anniversary year.

For over 40 years, Dresden was the centre of Caspar David Friedrich's life. It was here that he explored the works of the famous Old Master's Picture Gallery and contributed to contemporary art debates. It was in Dresden that he created his major works, which are now recognized worldwide as the most important examples of German Romanticism.

In his artistic work, Friedrich contrasted academic traditions with his own sources of inspiration, drawn from nature during his hikes in the countryside surrounding Dresden.

The exhibition at the Albertinum presents Caspar David, the painter. In his landscape paintings, he explores emotional worlds unlike any artist before him. The entire spectrum of his painterly oeuvre provides insights into his central themes: Nature, religion and politics. Together with paintings by his role models, the great landscape painters Jakob Ruisdael, Salvatore Rosa and Claude Lorrain, as well as his contemporaries, the presentation offers a unique opportunity to explore the essence of Romanticism.

In the Kupferstich-Kabinett in the Royal Palace of Dresden (Residenzschloss), the focus is on Friedrich's artistic process. His drawings are characterized by great sensitivity and precision. The exhibition offers an insight into the artist's life and work, illustrating how he left his mark on the art of his time.

The Female Painters of Dresden Romanticism - Celebrating the 250th Birthday of Caspar David Friedrich

At first glance, the Kügelgenhaus appears to be a historic townhouse on Hauptstraße, the shopping street in Dresden's inner Neustadt district. But behind the pale yellow façade, the world of Romanticism opens up. In addition to changing special exhibitions, the museum's permanent exhibition showcases works of Romanticism in rooms furnished in a style typical of the period. Notable are the richly painted wooden ceilings from the 17^th century. A total of nine themed rooms guide visitors through the house. The exhibition concept is complemented by literary and musical events.

This special exhibition celebrating the 250^th Birthday of Caspar David Friedrich highlights the contribution of women to Romantic art. Kügelgen himself mentored female artists, recognised their potential, and encouraged it. For example, the artist Caroline Bardua lived with the Kügelgen family for a period and also had a close relationship with Caspar David Friedrich (She painted his portrait, along with many other famous figures of the time.)The exhibition showcases ten talented female artists who were active at the beginning of the 19th century, yet remain largely unknown today.

Wanderlust and Travel Frustration: Romantic Nature and Travel Images in the Tri-Border Region

In 2024, the Year of Romantic Art, the Kraszewski Museum is presenting a special exhibition of German and Polish Romanticism focusing on the themes of travel and hiking featuring landscape paintings from the Saxon and Bohemian mountains, along with the artistic representation of the Giant Mountains (aka Karkonosze or Riesengebirge). Romanticism, Europe's grand cultural epoch, was not only defined by the adoration of nature and its ideals, but also by crises and upheavals. Travelling and migration movements against the backdrop of political events were reflected in texts and images. The exhibition offers insight into the conditions of Romanticism, transcending borders, showcasing works from the collections of the Krkonoše Museum in Jelenia Góra/Hirschberg, the Silesian Museum in Görlitz, the Bad Schandau Museum, the Pirna City Museum, the Dresden City Museum, and the Dresden Municipal Gallery.

Places

The Grave at Trinitatisfriedhof (Cemetery)

The famous painting 'Friedhofseingang' by Caspar David Friedrich depicts the entrance to the Trinitatisfriedhof in an almost mystical atmosphere. This cemetery, situated in the Johannstadt neighbourhood, is one of the most culturally and historically significant cemeteries in Dresden. Numerous important Dresden personalities are buried here. Some of the grave designs were created by renowned figures such as Rietschel and Semper.

Caspar David Friedrich Monument

The monument to Caspar David Friedrich, one of the most important German painters of the 19th century, has been located in the small park to the east of the Brühl's Terrace since 1990. Surprisingly for many visitors, it does not depict the artist himself, but rather offers a free interpretation accompanied by a quote by Caspar David Friedrich.

The three-metre-high wrought-iron work, designed by Wolf-Eike Kuntsche, consists of an easel, a window and a memorial plaque. The elements are connected to each other, with a chair positioned in the centre. The arrangement is reminiscent of a Kersting painting showing Caspar David Friedrich in his studio.

A motto by the artist Caspar David Friedrich is inscribed in bronze letters on the memorial plaque. The interplay of the elements with the motto has created an unusual memorial with depth of content. The monument pays tribute to Caspar David Friedrich and commemorates his significance in German art history.

Romantic Bicycle Tour in the Footsteps of Caspar David Friedrich

Discover Dresden in the footsteps of Caspar David Friedrich! With a perfect combination of culture and nature, you can explore the painter's most important places in Dresden.

Caspar David Friedrich loved travelling slowly and being inspired by his surroundings. On our guided cycle tour, you will get to know the historic old town with the "Balcony of Europe", the Brühl's Terrace, in an equally relaxed way. Discover the Brühl Gardens featuring the Caspar David Friedrich monument and learn about his former residence. On one of the most beautiful cycle routes in Germany, you will cycle along the Elbe to the original location where Caspar David Friedrich's most famous Dresden motif "Das Große Gehege" was painted and to his final resting place. Your tour guide will also take you to the spot where Caspar David Friedrich, among fellow artists, once enjoyed a beer near the Blue Wonder, ensuring a truly memorable excursion.

Souvenir for the Anniversary Year

To mark the 250th anniversary of Caspar David Friedrich, a souvenir zero Euro bank note with one of the artist's most famous motifs is being issued. The wanderer symbolises Friedrich's closeness to nature in Saxony. He lived in Dresden for forty years and gathered inspiration for his works in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains.

The zero Euro bill is printed in high quality and the edition is limited to 3000 pieces. The note makes a great memento or gift. The zero Euro notes are also very popular with collectors.