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Rückenfigur 101
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I was thinking... as there isn't much out there written about what rückenfigur is, maybe it'd be a good idea to jot down a little primer explaining a bit more about what it's all about and its role in art. Throwing in a few examples of its classical use as well might help clarify it. Might add more stuff to it over time too as a reference. (Incidentally, forgive the artwank tone - I couldn't avoid it) :-P
Although rückenfigur is popularly associated with the German romantic painter Caspar David Friedrich, its appearances in art very much pre-date his time. Early forms of it were attributed to Giotto but it became a more substantial style in the 15th century, creeping into the works of painters such as Jan van Eyck and later with Allaert van Everdingen and Jan Luiken.
Often these uses were simply to direct the viewer to behold the landscape in the scene. Friedrich's approach transfigured this into a different concept, sometimes referred to as "the halted traveller", where the lonely wanderer has appeared to have been "stopped" by the view of the landscape. This implies to us as a viewer that there is perhaps more to the landscape than we see, but those thoughts may remain unknown to us... privately contained in the mind of the rückenfigur in the scene.
The most notable work of rückenfigur is considered to be Friedrich's The Wanderer Above The Sea of Fog (1818).
This picture really shows the vital nature of rückenfigur. The painting isn't just about landscape as the figure is smack in the middle of the picture. As he is also turned away from us, he becomes anonymous, making the scene more universal and thematic. As a viewer we share his vision, thus the art is forcing us to participate in this vision. The figure becomes a surrogate for the viewer... this is essentially what rückenfigur is about.
Here's some other examples by Friedrich...
Woman before the Rising Sun (Woman before the Setting Sun)
Sunset (Brothers)
Moonrise by the Sea
Man and Woman Contemplating the Moon
Moon rising over Sea
The Sisters on the Balcony
I hope that helps :*)
Chris
Posted at 6:20AM, 25 May 2007 PDT
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Purely my own supposition, but it appears to me that in looking at rückenfigur art, there are two distinct thematic conveyances. The first is the aforementioned "halted traveller" lost in the contemplation of the landscape. In gazing upon the landscape, the rückenfigur is quite separate from the scene being viewed. Although s/he is anonymous and without identity, there is still a distinct identity from that of the landscape.
The second appears, to me at least, to be quite the opposite. Another form of rückenfigur seems to be where the figure(s) are distantly placed deep within the landscape itself. You've still got "back figures" in contemplation, but the composition makes them part of the landscape rather than separate. While we still identify with them as a viewer, the identity of the figures are very much subsumed into the grandeur of the landscape, maybe even biblically so.
Enough of the ramble... here's some examples
Evening Star (c. 1830-35)
Evening (c. 1821)
Flatlands on the Bay of Greifswald (c. 1832)
Posted 61 months ago.
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this one always makes me think of a modern day Friedrich:
 -- from digikuva - (?)
Posted 61 months ago.
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Nice, very "urban" Friedrich. It's interesting to think about how the composition would be different if the rückenfigur wasn't present. Here the figure really draws a path through the scene and accentuates the presence of the gate/portal.
Posted 61 months ago.
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did a quick search but couldn't find the painting i'm thinking of:
the iconic picture of the australian aboriginal looking out over sydney cove at the first fleet sailing in, with one foot hooked up on his opposite knee...?
barb can you help me out here???
Posted 60 months ago.
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thanks for the lesson memetic. :)
Posted 52 months ago.
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Hello, memetic,
Are you an art historian?
I am. And I'm interested in the subject.
Do you have some more information on the subject?
I consider the field of painting.
Thanx!
Anastasia
Posted 40 months ago.
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So, in my infinite wisdom, I've decided to take on even more things in my life and have gone back to uni to study Master of Art in Photomedia (at COFA, Sydney).
As part of that degree, there's a subject called Photomedia, which you study every semester, and it's basically a subject in which a personal body of work is thought of, developed and refined, over the 1.5-3 years of the degree.
I was asked to develop a proposal in the first week, and I think I am going to choose Rückenfigur as a base for my major work.
My problem is that I have never studied art (I'm a computer geek by trade), and I think I will have difficulty in doing lots of research on this topic.
If anyone knows any texts which can describe this concept, both in traditional and contemporary arts, I would most appreciative.
Thanks!
Posted 39 months ago.
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Hey guys
glazanova: Sorry I'm not an art historian but just have some amateur interest.
Talsit: Dude that's awesome! Extra awesome if you are doing Rückenfigur too.
Both of you guys might interested in one particular book then. The best book I've found on the subject is called Caspar David Friedrich and the Subject of Landscape by Joseph Leo Koerner. Here's a link: www.amazon.com/Caspar-David-Friedrich-Subject-Landscape/d...
It has a large section devoted to Rückenfigur and takes both a technical and philosophical approach to the subject which I think would be useful for you.
For cinema, I remember finding the mention of a published paper dealing with Russian director Aleksandr Sokurov's treatment of Rückenfigur in the Elegy films.
Besides that I'm not aware of much else out there on the subject. It's not a subject that seems to have been studied much, or perhaps largely forgotten.
Posted 39 months ago.
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Memetic, thanks for that. Shame that UNSW doesn't have that book. They seem to have a few on Friedrich though, so I'll have to check them out.
And it's interesting to see that there is not that much on the subject, since it's such a powerful concept.
Now I'm trying to write up a proposal... not easy!
Posted 39 months ago.
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@Memetic,
I did not know that there was a special name for this, I took so many pictures like "this" and I created an album on my website but never found a good name for it "back" " "mind&matter"...
I learnt a lot coming here, I am going to rewrite the presentation of my album and if you don't mind copy part of this text and include a link to this group.
thank you
have a nice day
Posted 23 months ago.
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I realize that there are probably many uses for a ruckenfigur pose. But most of what I have found in fine art and advertising suggests an attempt to focus the view upon the foreground surroundings rather than upon the subject himself or herself. It is a clever way to make the viewer look at what the subject is focusing upon.
In any case, it makes for some interesting scenes.
Originally posted 23 months ago.
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Studies in Solitude edited this topic 23 months ago.
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Damien Rayuela(www.fragmentsoffreedom.com)
Hey Damien, glad you found this group. :) Feel free to copy text.
Studies in Solitude
Thanks, yes I agree. It's a clever way to control how the viewer should consume the image. Thanks for visiting.
Posted 23 months ago.
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Damien Rayuela(www.fragmentsoffreedom.com) 
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