Caspar Wolf

Caspar Wolf (1735–1783) was a Swiss painter renowned for his dramatic Alpine landscapes, which marked him as a pioneer in depicting the raw power and sublime beauty of the Alps. Influenced by the Sturm und Drang movement and Albrecht von Haller’s poems, Wolf’s works from 1773 onwards predominantly featured glaciers, caves, waterfalls, and gorges. Despite facing hardships in his career, including financial difficulties and his works being forgotten until rediscovered in the 20th century, Wolf’s artistic vision contributed significantly to the aesthetics of the sublime and the early Romantic movement.

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Caspar Wolf often included a figure of himself painting in his landscapes as a testament to his presence at the sites, offering viewers a sense of scale and authenticity. His works can even be used for scientific purposes to understand the state of the Alps' glaciers in the 1770s.

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