Celestial phenomena in the works of Caspar David Friedrich

Prof. Dr. Holger Kersten, Institute for Experimental and Applied Physics, Kiel University and founding and honorary member of the Greifswald Observatory Location: old Audimax, HS 5, Rubenowstraße 1 Caspar David Friedrich, probably the most important painter of German Romanticism, is known for his impressive landscape paintings, in which celestial phenomena often play a central role. Friedrich used the sky not only as a background element, but also as an essential means of conveying moods and philosophical messages. His depictions of sunrises and sunsets, fog and twilight as well as the night sky can be interpreted as references to the afterlife and the infinite. A stormy sky can evoke feelings of being lost in the forces of nature, while a calm, clear sky represents peace and contemplation. Examples of this include "The Wanderer above the Sea of Fog" (1818) and "Two Men Contemplating the Moon" (1819/20). The lecture will focus primarily on exploring and explaining the celestial phenomena depicted. For example, are the scenes depicted real and can they even be dated or located more precisely? Based on Friedrich's works, physical phenomena will be described and illustrated by means of practical experiments. Afterwards, we cordially invite you to an observatory tour with sky observation in the observatory (opposite the Audimax).