---
type: concept
title: Topos of the North
tags: [romanticism, visual-identity, art-history]
related: [theoria-research-group]
created: 2026-07-13
updated: 2026-07-13
sources: ["output_cdfi/cdfi_uni_greifswald_de_kunstgeschichte_forschung_forschungsprojekte_lehrstuhl_pr.md"]
---

# Topos of the North

The **Topos of the North** refers to the construction of a specific "Northern" visual identity in European painting after 1800, primarily associated with Romanticism.

## Visual Characteristics
This identity was established through the use of specific nature phenomena and motifs that suggested a primordial or spiritual state of nature, including:
- Fog, clouds, and snow.
- Rocks, cliffs, and ancient oaks.
- Ruins (e.g., Eldena Abbey) and megalithic tombs.
- "Folk types" such as sailors and peasants in traditional dress.

## Theoretical Foundations
The construction of this topos was driven by two diverging tendencies:
1. **Scientific Naturalism:** Precise observation of light refraction, atmospheric conditions, and cloud formation (influenced by scientists like Hans Christian Ørsted and Luke Howard).
2. **Spontaneous Expression:** The use of the "oil sketch" and spontaneous brushwork to capture fleeting moments (e.g., rain showers), contrasting with the linear style of the academies.

## Ideological Appropriation
In the 20th century, particularly during the National Socialist era, this concept was weaponized by art historians (such as Kurt Karl Eberlein) to create "völkisch" and racist interpretations of artists like Caspar David Friedrich, claiming they were depicting a specific "Northern human type."
