Clouds In Moonlight
1849
Johan Christian Dahl, a pioneer of Norwegian landscape painting, captured this moody night scene on October 25, 1849, as signed at the bottom. Thick, dark clouds dominate the upper half, but a bright moon breaks through, spilling a warm, yellowish light across the sky and illuminating the silhouettes of trees and rooftops below. This piece is a perfect example of Romanticism, where nature is shown as both beautiful and slightly intimidating. Dahl was good friends with the famous German artist Caspar David Friedrich, and this sketch shows they shared a deep fascination with dramatic skies and light.
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