Olaf Hoppe “Two hikers looking at the German Forest” 2020
Acrylic on canvas 95 x 135 cm
2020-07-A
Work description
Olaf Hoppe’s work “Zwei Wanderer den deutschen Wald betrachten” (2020) shows an impressive scene that immerses the viewer in a painterly reflection on man and nature. It leads us through a landscape that is rich in meaning and symbolism.
This work is in direct dialog with the well-known work by Casper David Friedrich “Two men looking at the moon”. The period in which this work is rooted was characterized by war, poverty and political oppression, and Romantic artists often used metaphors to reflect their thoughts. For example, the uprooted, almost dead oak tree on the right-hand side of Casper David Friedrich’s painting was interpreted as a symbol of the state of Germany at the time of the Restoration.
This allegory is also reflected in the work “Zwei Wanderer den deutschen Wald betrachten” (Two Hikers Contemplating the German Forest), which depicts the Knorreichenstieg in the Kellerwald-Edersee Nature Park, characterized by a wild and romantic atmosphere.
Gnarled oaks grow on steep slopes and bizarre rocky outcrops, defying the difficult climatic conditions. The day awakening in the morning mist indicates that the hostile time of winter is over and spring is beginning.
While the group of figures in Caspar David Friedrich’s painting is still standing on solid ground, these hikers have lost their way and are merely standing on a branch that juts out over a seemingly bottomless ravine.Since the conversation about the state of the German forest could come to an abrupt end when the branch is broken through, this can also be interpreted as a call to action. The placement of the hikers in the painting allows us to recognize the place where we are standing in nature. At the same time, it encourages us to think about this big, ever-changing world.
The work is a reflection on our relationship with nature and our individual responsibility as part of it and reminds us that nature and its inherent life force always make a new beginning possible. As you can easily see, there is an urgent need to protect nature and actively shape our role as custodians, not only for ourselves but also for future generations.