The Magic of Silence: Caspar David Friedrich's Journey Through Time

No German painter evokes such strong emotions as Caspar David Friedrich: his evening skies remain a symbol of longing, and his mountain landscapes bear witness to the grandeur of nature. Friedrich inspired Samuel Beckett to write the play "Waiting for Godot" and Walt Disney to produce the film "Bambi". Goethe, on the other hand, was so infuriated by the mysterious gloom that pervades Friedrich's paintings that he even wished to smash them against the edge of a table.In a comprehensive journey through time, bestselling author Florian Illies tells the story of Friedrich's paintings and their impact on later generations. Many of his most beautiful paintings were burned, first in his hometown and then during World War II; while other paintings, such as the chalk cliffs of Rügen Island, emerged from the annals of history a hundred years after Friedrich's death.Ellis recounts the story of how Friedrich's paintings ended up at the court of the Russian Tsar, another among piles of winter tires in a mafia-run auto repair shop, and a third in the kitchen of a German apartment. Friedrich was admired by Hitler and Rainer Maria Rilke, and disliked by Stalin and the generation of 1968. This captivating novel spans 250 years of history through his art and life. As a result, the man himself becomes present before our eyes.