FRIEDRICH, Caspar David
(b. 1774, Greifswald, d. 1840, Dresden)

The Ruins of Eldena

c. 1825
Pencil, ink and watercolour, 178 x 229 mm
Private collection

The ruins of the Cistercian monastery of Eldena appear regularly in Friedrich's oeuvre and convey a religious symbolism and a message of transience. At the same time, the motif also expresses the painter's deep attachment to his native region.