Moon Rising Behind Pines by Carl Gustav Carus - 19th century - 10.2 x 8 cm private collection Moon Rising Behind Pines by Carl Gustav Carus - 19th century - 10.2 x 8 cm private collection

Moon Rising Behind Pines

Oil on board • 10.2 x 8 cm
  • Carl Gustav Carus - 3 January 1789 - 28 July 1869 Carl Gustav Carus 19th century

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Today's Carl Gustav Carus night painting captures the ethereal beauty of a full moon rising behind pines, a recurring motif among Romantic artists in Dresden. As Carus himself described it, the "darkening blue" of the clear night sky possesses a crystalline intensity, while a reddish coronal ring delicately encircles the "pale-golden" full moon. The jagged silhouettes of the pines’ pyramidal crowns starkly contrast against the moonlit blue sky, and subtle highlights on the foreground vegetation simulate the moonlight’s gentle gleam. Carus's low vantage point and the heightened contrasts achieved with his predominantly monochrome palette imbue the painting with an emotional depth that transcends its modest size and subject. Carus’s fascination with nocturnal scenes and moonlit landscapes is well-documented, evidenced by the many moonlight works he created throughout his career. He only rarely explored the theme, however, in such a small and focused format. 

Settling in Dresden in 1814, Carus became a close friend of Caspar David Friedrich and an integral figure within his artistic circle. Friedrich had elevated moonlight to a central theme in Romantic painting, and his influence is evident in Carus’s work. Although Carus began to distance himself from Friedrich’s circle in the 1820s, Friedrich’s mastery of painting techniques and compositional strategies left a lasting impression. Reflecting on Friedrich’s legacy after his death, Carus wrote: "Of great value to me was the distinct feeling for pure concentration of light that marked his works." This profound appreciation for light and atmosphere is a hallmark of Carus's moonlit landscapes, demonstrating his ability to blend scientific observation with Romantic ideals.

P.S. Speaking of Romantic ideals ... Do you know that in our DailyArt Shop you can find a premium-quality print of the most iconic work by Caspar David Friedrich?

P.P.S. Artists painted the full moon in a variety of ways. Take a look at some of the most interesting full moon paintings.