Two Men Contemplating the Moon
Caspar David Friedrich, ca. 1825–30
About this artwork
Caspar David Friedrich's * Men Contemplating the* (ca. 1825–30), an oil on canvas masterpiece from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exemplifies Romanticism's reverence for nature's sublime power. This is the third version of a composition first painted in 1819, showcasing Friedrich's signature Rückenfigur technique—figures viewed from behind that draw viewers into their quiet awe. Here, two men stand silhouetted against a twilight landscape, gazing at a glowing crescent moon rising over jagged rocks and a gnarled, evoking a natural cathedral that blends the earthly and divine. One figure is often seen as Friedrich himself, accompanied by his disciple August Heinrich, who died in 1822—making this later rendition a poignant meditation on loss, memory, and transcendence. The moon, a Romantic obsession, symbolized the bridge between scientific curiosity and spiritual longing, countering the era's rationalism with emotional depth. Friedrich's layered symbolism invited 19th-century audiences to seek renewal amid industrialization, transforming a modest 13¾ × 17¼-inch canvas into a portal for personal reflection. (198 words)