How does this artwork elucidate its Background?
Following the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813, the ideas of German unification and nationalism gained momentum. The center of new liberal ideas was the universities. However, these ideas troubled the ruling elite and the new order established by the Congress of Vienna (1814-1815). As a result, the members of the German Confederation instituted the Carlsbad Decrees in 1819, which severely limited free speech and banned the teaching of liberal ideas in universities. Friedrich saw these developments as a betrayal of the spirit of those who had fought against Napoleon. He wanted to create a work that would honor liberal ideas and serve as a monument to those who had died in pursuit of them.
Napoleon Congress of Vienna Carlsbad Decrees German Confederation Battle of Leipzig