The Monk by the Sea, Caspar David Friedrich, 1808-1810. Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin, Germany.
Questions
-What do you see?
-What stands out to you?
-Where is the monk? What do you think he is doing?
-How does this painting make you feel? Do you feel small, safe, uneasy, or a different emotion?
Reflection
I know this is not necessarily a starkly religious painting, but I think the subject matter and what can be drawn from it is worth reflecting upon. I think that there is an ease in sacred and religious art to find the presence of God and draw from it a spiritual reflection. But God can be found in more than just the obvious - he can be found in all types of beauty. My husband and I, while we love our faith, we would like to have interests outside our faith. The Lord made this world so diverse and wonderful that we can find Him in all the wonders and instances that seem to be devoid of Him at first. Surrounding ourselves with art that is beautiful and well created without it being specifically religious is so important. I think it helps us to be aware of God's influence and presence despite what the situation may be. We are called to be the light of the world and bring Him into all that we do. When we can identify God and beauty in other things like art but even more so in people, how much more will we be able to see His guiding hand? How much more will we be aware of Him when we ruthlessly and recklessly seeking Him?
This painting holds a special memory in my heart. While studying abroad in Italy, I took a solo trip to Berlin, Germany. I spent ages in the multiple museums that scatter the city including the one that this painting is housed in. At that time I was feeling excited to be traveling by myself but also felt lonely. I was about halfway through my semester and had not seen my family or close friends for nearly 3 months. Here I am, walking through the gallery when I see this painting. It is a fairly large painting, about 3.5 feet by 5.5 feet. And here, in the middle of the large country of Germany in the large city of Berlin in this large museum I find myself feeling completely known. I felt like the monk by the sea, at the edge of this abyss and staring into the darkness. There was a choice - would I dive into loneliness and sorrow or would I find peace in the space that surrounded me?
I have made this choice several times over in both directions. There is a choice to have hope and peace in the vastness of the unknown. There is a choice to sink into the loneliness and sorrow when you feel lonely. The difference between lonely and alone is a simple choice. I desire to choose to be alone for periods of time. I think that it is important to have time and space for yourself to reflect, do personal hobbies, get to know yourself, and to be closer with God. He desires to meet us in these places to turn loneliness into alone time with Him. I think that this painting reflects the ability to be alone without being lonely. To be overtaken with the beauty of the natural world by yourself.
There is a vastness to your own soul that the Lord desires to dive into, with you. Have you ever felt or thought about the reality of this? Scientifically there is so much that we do not know about the human person. We can use science and theories all we want to try to explain everything but the only one who can make sense of it and understand it is Our Lord. He created us uniquely and individually and incredibly complex. He did not do this so we would be confused or not understand ourselves, He wants us to know ourselves! But it must be done with Him and through Him and in Him. You have to be brave and courageous to go into this with Him. It can be hard to dive into yourself with all your nooks and crannies, bumps and bruises, pain and sufferings, joys and happiness, desires and dreams. There are so many parts of you that the Lord wants to discover with you. It is like when a little baby discovers that they have fingers or toes. There are parts of them that they are not aware of or understand how they work. The discovery of self can be taken as a grand adventure into the unknown or it can be a scary, hesitant journey that you yourself do not want to make. With Christ by your side, it can be safe to understand yourself and to get to know you more. Your soul is where Christ dwells, do you want to dwell there with Him? The Lord desires you too. Your soul may seem like a scary place, but with Him there it is cozy and warm and safe.
The monk by the sea is not looking to take fantastic pictures or have crazy adventures to share on social media or boast to friends. He is meeting the Lord in a place of solitude where he can connect on a personal, intimate level. The ability to go someplace and just be present without thought of the future or how you are going to share this moment is so important. It is a practice to keep things to yourself, only between you and the Lord. Religious have a greater amount of time and space to try this, but those who are married or single also have this call. I am not by any means saying we should keep secrets or important things from our spouses or loved ones. But I am saying that the Lord can and does have special little things that He wants your heart to hear only. He desires an intimate relationship with you, especially in the vastness of our lives.
This monk is walking along the edge of the vastness and unknown. He does not fear the edge or walk far away from the precipice. He knows the rockiness and roughness and danger that there is of falling, but he does not back away. It reminds me of what Mr. Beaver told Susan about Aslan. "Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you." Our God is not safe because He is the Ruler and Creator of All, the Just Judge, the Almighty King, Our Heavenly Father. He is eternal and omnipotent and dangerous to all that is evil. To all that is good though? He is merciful and just and beautiful and true. He is the absolute. There is danger in the good because it goes against all the evil forces in the world. You are putting yourself at risk for attack by the evil one when you are on God's side and do His will. But is that not the amazing part of it? The monk walking at the edge of the sea can be a way of understanding our walk in this world. There is a vast unknown of evil and vile things that lurk about, but we can walk on the straight and narrow path of the Lord. He will keep us near to Him and protect us. But protection does not mean that we will not get hit by a gust of wind or sprayed with the cold waters. When we know our Lord, we know that He triumphs over all. We will not be overcome by the darkness, Christ will overcome it. He will use the dangers to bring us closer to Him and to purify us so that we are even more His.
Information
It was in Germany that I gained knowledge of the painter Caspar David Friedrich, who created this artwork. I have developed a soft spot for him over the years and he continues to be one of my favorite artists. He is a German Romantic landscape painter, which I think is easy to see in this painting. He has a few what I call "religious adjacent" paintings. These are paintings that have religious people or places, but are not necessarily religious or meant to be. At the same time of this painting, Friedrich was also working on a piece called The Abbey in the Oakwood. This painting was of an old, crumbling abbey in the midst of several oaks. It is a dark painting with dramatic lighting. These two paintings were displayed together in 1810, after their completion, at the Berlin Academy exhibition. Originally the monk painting was hung above the abbey, but now they hang side by side in the museum where they now reside. I think this is wonderful that at least some of his artwork has stayed together. Very often collections and paintings get scattered around. It is only during special exhibitions or when collections are donated or bought by museums that the work of the artist comes together again. The keeping together of these two paintings from their creation to now is something to be noted.
Art can speak back and forth with one another. When you visit museums, it is more than what art is being shown. There is a story being told or a message emerging by what art is next to one another or the collection that is being shown. Taking in art as an individual piece is important and what we do on this blog, but when we go out into the world, taking it as a collection is just as important. Think about your home. Do you have a wall with family photos? What does this show or say? To me it says that your family is important to you, that you find having photos together to be good, and that you all have connections with one another. Museums do the same thing when they have different sections of Modern, Renaissance, Ancient Greek and Roman, African, Dutch, and other types of art. They could separate out sculptures and paintings or they could mix them together. These are choices that are made that reflect what is important and to make us see connections between the two. The two Friedrich paintings being together shows the similarity of work that Friedrich did in a similar time, with connected themes of religious places and people, and also vastness, being alone, and the presence of God in places that do not seem very obvious.
The reception of this painting was not immediately a positive one. Even before he put displayed it at an exhibition, a wife of a friend said it was too lonely and that the sea and air never seemed to end. Others had similar disliking to it, saying that the foreground was too overwhelming and that viewers could not connect with the monk in the picture. There is nothing to soften the stark land and the never ending sky and sea. Friedrich is commonly placed within the German Romanticism era and style of painting. People found it hard to see the romance within in. The nature was not warm or welcoming or drew you in. The starkness makes the viewer step back and wonder. The receptivity of this piece may not have been great, but the influence of it has been strong. There are many who have linked this composition went on to inspire Symbolist and Expressionist painters such as Franz Marc and Mark Rothko. This is a story that is often told in the world of art history. There have been many art pieces and artists that at the time were not noticed, regarded, or seen as important. It was not until later that they became influential and important to society and the history of art. The story of an art piece after its creation is as important as how, when, why, and by whom it was created.
More Questions
-When is the last time that you have been surrounded by nature by yourself?
-What vastness within yourself is the Lord calling you to dive into with Him, not in fear or loneliness, but in bravery with Him?
-What art is in your house? What impelled you to place these pieces next to one another? How do they communicate with each other?
Let us pray -
Lord, thank you for the daily choices that you allow us to make. You have granted us the gift of life and the ability to create our path back to you. When we feel like we are at the edge of a terrifying unknown, comfort us. When we feel like you desire to pull us into the depths, may we release control. When you want us to walk through the valley of darkness, may we fear no evil. God, you are a good Father and seek to show your truth, goodness, and beauty throughout our daily lives. Help us to see you constantly, turning towards you in praise and thanksgiving.
Amen.
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