Wanderer above the Sea of Fog (also known as Wanderer Above the Mist) is an oil-on-canvas painting of 1818 by the German Romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich.

The work depicts a man, possibly Friedrich himself, standing atop a high mountain, with his back to the viewer?a common element in Friedrich's work?before a great mass of fog. Peaks of other mountains can be seen above the surface of the fog, while a range of huge mountains is seen in the background. The large expanse of sky above the heights of the mountains in the background covers much of the painting.

Wanderer above the Sea of Fog is true to the Romantic style, offering a powerful statement about mankind and personal enlightenment. Although the man is on top of a lofty mountain, he is wearing a formal outfit that would have been typical of a philosopher during Friedrich's life. This piece can represent mankind reaching for his goals and acknowledging his feats by standing above all things, representing his triumph over the struggles of life. Art critics also note that the mist represents the uncertainty of the future, created by the tension between the old monarchical institutions and the new political thought.

Chalk Cliffs on Rügen

Friedrich's interest in nature is evident throughout his work. Examples include his Chalk Cliffs on Rügen, painted in 1818, which portrays a man standing, and a woman seated, looking out, while another man on his hands and knees looks over the ledge of a vast and high-reaching slope leading down to an endless ocean. Another example of this can be found in Friedrich's The Sea of Ice, which depicts, in the foreground, a large mass of ruins, and, in the middle and background, similar piles of ruins, numerous in number, littering what appears to be a frozen, icy landscape.

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