Chalk Cliffs at Ruegen

Chalk Cliffs at Ruegen (1818) by Caspar David Friedrich. Its palette is led by stone (#6b6556, 26%) and putty (#988c7f, 24%). Overall the canvas is mid-toned, moderately saturated and warm.

Color note

Friedrich built his landscapes from restrained, cool harmonies of greys, blues and muted greens, often at dawn, dusk or by moonlight. Color in his work carries mood rather than decoration.

Palette

#6b6556 MG 175 stone 25.8% of canvas
#988c7f MG 173 putty 23.6% of canvas
#42321b MG 186 dark umber 18.9% of canvas
#bfb197 MG 172 oatmeal 16.5% of canvas
#524123 MG 185 dark golden umber 15.0% of canvas

Color families

Brown 81%, Gray 13%, Black 3%, Yellow 3%, White 0%

Measurements

Lightness: 0.53
Contrast: 0.49
Vividness: 0.039
Warmth: +1.00
Complexity: 157 cells
Hue range: 0.32
Focus: 0.00

Composition

52% of the visual weight is in the left half, 53% in the upper half. Symmetry 0.07 (how closely its shapes and edges mirror each other). 31% of the canvas is calm space. Half of the detail sits in 29% of the canvas. Measured from the image, not a rule the painter followed.

Details

Date: 1818
Medium: Oil on canvas
Size: 90.5 × 71.0 cm
Genre: landscape painting
Made in: Germany
Collection: Kunst Museum Winterthur | Reinhart am Stadtgarten, Winterthur

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