“Modern western landscape painting is directly related to modern individualism”
“Modern western landscape painting” is fascinating and often very lifelike. The viewer of “modern western landscape paintings” often has the opportunity to interpret the painting individually. There are no requirements how to do it. It is exactly the same with the “modern individualism”. Each person is different than the other. Thus I totally agree with the main statement. I think there is a relation between “modern western landscaping” and “modern individualism”. This can be explained based on the paintings “The Wanderer Above The Sea Of Fog” from Caspar David Friedrich and “Yosemite Valley At Sunset” from Albert Bierstadt. Both paintings are completely different, but they both give the viewer a lot of room for interpreting. Thus, the viewer is left to decide how he interpreted the picture and what he focuses. Caspar David Friedrich actually focuses something on his painting, but the meaning of it is not clearly. In general you can see man on a mountain. He is pointing with back to the viewer. He seems to be in a mountain range. Everywhere you can see mountains. There is a kind of valley but you cannot really see it because above the valley is a “sea of fog”. The fog is very conspicuous. Because of the dark colors in the front of the painting, it makes a gloomy impression. The view of the landscape is scary as well. All these high mountains and the fog reminds of scene from a horror movie. But to me this painting just seems to be powerful. The man is well dressed and does not seem like that he put much effort into the ascent. His clothes makes me suspect that he is very wealthy. He seems to be strong, if he can climb a mountain without and effort, and he seems to be wealthy. Both aspects together mean to be that this could be a powerful man. He seems to be above it all as well. He is on top of the mountain and on top of his life. He reminds me of “der Übermensch”. Also his view into the distance makes everything seem infinitely. It gives me the feeling that nothing is impossible. The bright colors in the background create positive thoughts. The second painting “Yosemite valley at sunset” is open to various interpretations too. It is a painting which considers every detail. It could be on postcard. In the foreground there is a little river in a forest. It looks ideal. Behind the forest you see mountains. Here the focus is on one gigantic mountain. This painting allows different effects of the viewer. It depends on the viewer. Because we are all different in our modern world we all have different feelings to this painting. Some of us would say that the painting of Albert Bierstadt is just a painting of the nature. It shows a quiet place which makes an impression of a wonderful landscape. It looks like an untouched place with a breathtaking view on mountains. Maybe Albert Bierstadt just wanted to record it. But in my opinion there could be another reason why he painted this. This picture looks so peaceful that is causes a kind of relaxation in me. It is a painting without any life on it. The focused mountain is huge and drawn very bright. All these factors indicate that this painting is related to god. The landscape is so beautiful that it looks like out of a dream and maybe it is just a fantasized place. This place could be a painting of a possible afterlife. All these different thoughts and interpretations are a part of me as an individual. Every other person could think completely different. But this is exactly what connects “modern western landscape painting” with “modern individualism”. Each of us has a different view on these paintings. As well as the artists are completely different and particularly the paintings are unique. Just as everyone of us.