Two Men before a Waterfall at Sunset

Johan Christian Dahl’s painting shows two men before a waterfall at sunset, completed in 1823. The men are believed to be Dahl himself and Caspar David Friedrich. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

The painting measures 15 by 14 inches. Oil on canvas is the medium. It was gifted to the museum by Christen Sveaas in 2019.

The scene is inspired by the Norwegian landscape, although Dahl lived and worked in Dresden for most of his career. It echoes Friedrich’s 1819 work, Two Men Contemplating the Moon.

Dahl’s artistic career was largely based in Dresden, but his work often reflects his Norwegian roots. He was instrumental in preserving Norwegian cultural heritage.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/439344

https://oolf.net/open-art/dahl-two-men-before-a-waterfall-at-sunset-1823/