Caspar David Friedrich was born on September 5, 1774 in Greifswald and is considered one of the most important artists of German Romanticism. His paintings are strongly characterized by intense depictions of nature, mysticism and an incomparable melancholy. Important sources of inspiration and points of reference in his life were the island of Rügen, the city of Dresden and Saxon Switzerland, which played a decisive role in his artistic development. In 2024, the world will celebrate his 250th anniversary with numerous events, for example in his birthplace of Greifswald, Rügen and Dresden.

Caspar David Friedrich lived and worked for a large part of his life in Dresden, which played a central role in his artistic development. He moved to the city in 1798 and became part of the local art scene, which was strongly influenced by the Dresden Academy and its professors. Friedrich studied at the Royal Academy of Art and found not only inspiration in Dresden, but also important patrons and friends, including the painter Gerhard von Kügelgen and the poet Ludwig Tieck.

The surroundings of Dresden, in particular the Elbe landscape and Saxon Switzerland, strongly influenced Friedrich's works. He found motifs in the bizarre rock formations and expansive vistas that became symbols of his Romantic pictorial language. His often melancholy landscapes, which focus on man's relationship to nature and transcendence, reflect his experiences of nature in this region.

Dresden remained the center of his life until his death in 1840, and his works became famous in the city and beyond, particularly through exhibitions at the Dresden Academy.