Abbey in the Oakwood (Abtei im Eichwald)
Painting on canvas • Caspar David Friedrich
Style & Movement
German Romanticism
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas; fine glazing techniques with smooth brushwork to create atmospheric depth and subtle tonal shifts.
Creation Period
1808-1810
Dimensions & Format
110.4 cm x 171 cm; Horizontal (Landscape) format
Subject Description
A funeral procession of monks enters the ruins of a Gothic abbey (Eldena Abbey), surrounded by skeletal oak trees in a misty, twilight landscape. The composition features a crescent moon and grave markers, symbolizing death, the passage of time, and the hope of the afterlife.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent/Very Good; well-preserved within a museum setting (Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin).
Estimated Market Value
Priceless (National Treasure); theoretically $100M+ if it were ever to reach the open market.
Auction Estimate
N/A (Institutionally held)
Provenance History
Acquired by King Frederick William III of Prussia in 1810; currently in the collection of the Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin.
Art Historical Significance
A seminal work of German Romanticism, it serves as a companion piece to 'The Monk by the Sea.' It defines the 'sublime' in 19th-century art, emphasizing nature's power and human mortality.
Notable Features
The striking silhouette of the ruined window and the 'Rückenfigur' concept (figures seen from behind), along with the use of a gold-leaf frame that enhances the spiritual glow of the horizon.
Condition Issues
Minor age-related craquelure and slight yellowing of old varnish typical of late 18th/early 19th-century oils.
Conservation Recommendations
Professional cleaning of surface dust and monitoring of light levels/humidity within museum-grade environment.