Elements of Art

 

Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog Caspar David Friedrich

    The piece of artwork that I chose to blog about is probably my favorite piece. The piece is titles Wanderer Above a Sea of Fog  by the late Caspar David Friedrich. The painting was made in 1818, most likely in Germany, and currently resides in Kunsthalle Hamburg, Germany. 

    Emotion

    I'd like to begin my analysis with how this piece of art made me feel initially. I first came across this piece years ago in the video game Minecraft where it is an available painting. when I looked it up afterwards, I was met with a sense of adventure and curiosity. This oil painting makes one feel in awe of the world. The wanderer seemingly hiked up this mountain and has been met with a view of the world that he wouldn't have ever seen otherwise. This piece very much brings me a sense of onism, the awareness of how little of the world one will experience. While this notion may seem depressing to some, it brings me a sense of excitement in that there will always be more to experience. 

    Color 

    The piece is made up of cooler colors: blues, greys, and blacks. In addition, the piece incorporates more and more white in order to simulate fogginess and in turn represent distance and vastness. The wanderer stands in black clothing surrounded by the white and grey fog, in turn contrasting and standing out as the focal point of the painting. All of this comes together and gives off the sense of sadness, introspection and determination.  

    Lines

    The lines of the rock formations are strong and straight, demonstrating the arduous journey that the wanderer had to undertake in order to achieve that view. The lines for the rock formations further away from the wanderer are still straight and jagged, there is still more to conquer and see. Finally, the waviness of the wanderer's hair seems to show the wanderer's willingness to explore while also adding another layer of danger to the picture with the wanderer overlooking a vast landscape while battling wind at the same time. 

    Texture

    Because the picture is oil on canvas, it is already a very textured piece. If one were allowed to run one's hands along the picture, one would experience another sensation that would add to the vastness of the image would be the topographical feel that is a result of the bumpy and textured oil on canvas. The texture would help to relay the harsh journey that the wanderer had to endure in order to be able to look at the vast landscape. 

Works Cited

“Wanderer above the Sea of Fog.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Jan. 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanderer_above_the_Sea_of_Fog.

O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo... except, change 'Romeo' with 'art'.

Hello to all the artheads and classmates out there. My name is Daniel Luna-Sánchez, I am currently an undergraduate studying Mechanical Engineering here at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. To pass the time this winter, I've gotten into skiing (a lifelong Alaskan just getting into skiing?? I know, I know) and have been frequenting all the double black diamond xc trails at Birch Hill with some friends that have also just gotten into skiing and are also in this class (Hi Kevin and Gerald!). Much to my friend's enjoyment, In addition to picking up skiing, I've also been enjoying baking, much to my friends' enjoyment. Board games, school, and a new puppy end up eating away at the rest of my time. 

My relationship with art is a funny one. My older sister got all of the artistic traits, and while I am creative in my own right (believe it or not but engineering requires a lot of creative problem solving), she is able to bring to life endless sceneries or depict accurately on a medium whatever she is thinking of. I tried to keep up, and my parents graciously hung up my artwork alongside hers even though her artwork graced the walls of the Anchorage Museum and mine only reached the hallways of my elementary school. While I may not be the best at creating art, growing up and being embraced by her creativity and artwork nurtured a love for art that continues till this day. 

Wanderer above the Sea of Fog by Caspar David Friedrich

My current favorite type of artwork is oil on canvas and I sometimes find myself perusing sites like these  and fantasizing that I may someday own some of these pieces.