Exhibition on Caspar David Friedrich attracts 236,000 visitors

A total of 236,000 people visited the special exhibition to mark the 250th birthday of the painter Caspar David Friedrich in Dresden. According to the Dresden State Art Collections (SKD), this makes it one of the most successful exhibitions in its history. Only the special exhibition "Heavenly Splendor. Raphael, Dürer and Grünewald paint the Madonna" attracted more visitors in 2011/2012 with 274,000 ticket sales, the SKD announced.

From the beginning of September until last Sunday, the show "Caspar David Friedrich. Where it all began" was on display at the Albertinum and the Kupferstich-Kabinett. Due to the large crowds, the opening hours were extended until midnight in some cases after the timed tickets were fully booked in December, according to SKD.

Special exhibition with over 200 works

In the two-part Dresden exhibition, well over 200 works provided an insight into Friedrich's work, drawing skills and painting technique, as well as his emotional world and his life and artistic environment. The SKD presented its collection of paintings and drawings by the Greifswald-born artist, for whom Dresden was the center of his life for over 40 years.

Friedrich came to Dresden in 1798, primarily to study the works of the Old Masters in the Gemäldegalerie. The draughtsman began painting in the former royal seat in 1807 and became one of the most important artists of German Romanticism. He also took part in art debates, wandered around the city to be inspired by nature, started a family and built up a large network. He died in the city on the Elbe in May 1840.