By Casper David Friedrich (1774-1840) Circa. 1818 Romanticism
For art historians studying a foreign culture, one of the most important skills to have is a second language. This work is a perfect example of the importance of language for a historian.
For example, this artwork loses some of its meaning when translated from German into English. In German, the title is "Wanderer über dem Nebelmeer." where in English, it became "Wanderer above the Sea and Clouds. There are several things to note about this German title. Firstly, Wanderer in German has duel meanings, meaning both "wanderer" and "hiker." This means the character can thus be seen as lost and trying to find purpose, or as a resolute journeyman. The second translation problem is that the word "Nebelmeer" is a word that translates directly into "Fogsea." The audience though has the discrimination to interpret it as "the sea which is composed of fog," or "the Fog Sea." The first of these leads to a more abstract and philosophical view that complements the "wanderer" translation of the first word. The second is more concrete and challenging, complementing the view of the determined hiker.
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