At first glance this painting, whilst very dramatic, could be seen as merely a bleak winter scene, however closer analysis reveals a deeper, more mysterious reading and an elaborate system of symbolism. As with the majority of Friedrich’s works The Abbey in the Oak Wood has a haunting, dream-like quality, pulling together all of the elements characteristic of the artist: a sharply defined style, gothic ruins, barren trees, lonely figures, mysterious lighting; here the dusk is deeply significant as it was seen as a period of creativity amongst the Romantics. All this is coupled with the traditional, technical elements of landscape painting, such as the symbolical significance of contrasts.

Firstly, the contrast between high and low: the vertical accent of the painting immediately draws the eye to the ruin of the Gothic abbey in the centre of the paintings and the stark contorted oak trees that frame it. Linked to this is the second contrast of light and dark: the top of the scene is lit with light from the just-set sun, regardless of the fact that there is very little detail there. However the foot of the painting is plunged into darkness and seems to be concealing the action that is taking place, namely a funeral procession. On closer inspection a cemetery can be seen in the foreground, through which the procession is passing, the coffin entering the ruined abbey through its door. The gloomy light gives an eerie, ghostly feeling to the scene, emphasised by the tiny, silver sickle moon (believed to be a representation of Christ) and the frightening, nightmarish bare oak trees.

The occurrence of a funeral at a ruined abbey also seems strange, leading to the inevitable conclusion that this is a scene from a dream. Indeed, it is said that Friedrich painted as if in the throws of a hallucination or dream and he himself admitted his paintings came from an inner vision. The abbey featured here is said to be reminiscent of the Cistercian Abbey of Eldene in Friedrich’s homeland and this painting can therefore be described as a ‘remembered scene.’