Contemplating the Moon

The couple in this painting is said to have been Friedrich himself and his new wife Caroline. This painting was executed shortly after their honeymoon. Friedrich created several works with the motif of a couple looking at the moon. The contemplative setting of this artwork depicts a fascination with the moon as often expressed in contemporary Romantic poetry, literature, philosophy, and music. Both figures are seen from the back allowing the viewer to immerse him- or herself in the scene as well.